Bujumbura, 5 December2024 (ECA) - Burundi's Ministry of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism, in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and with financial support from the Government of Denmark (DANIDA), has organized workshops to technically review and validate the Green Supplement to the National Strategy for the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This document is an essential milestone for Burundi in its ambition to build a resilient and sustainable economy through intra-African trade. To strengthen green value chains in Burundi, the coffee and tea industries need to be strengthened to cope with the challenges of global warming.
The objectives of the Green Supplement are threefold. The first is to identify new business opportunities that are green and resilient to climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no. 13 (the fight against climate change). Secondly, this tool will guide Burundi in the effective implementation of the AfCFTA to develop a national action plan that accompanies sustainable development to maximize the economic and environmental impact of coffee and tea value chains in the context of the national strategy implementation of the AfCFTA.
Finally, the expected results of this initiative include the adoption of a national strategic framework for sustainable trade, which will strengthen the climate resilience of key agricultural value chains. In addition, the project aims to foster greater inclusion of women and young people within regional value chains, thus contributing to more inclusive and sustainable growth for the country.
The next steps will consist of national ownership of the recommendations outlined in the Green Supplement. Their operational implementation with accurate monitoring to guarantee their impact, and the mobilization of stakeholders and technical and financial partners. These actions will ensure increased cooperation and support to achieve the objectives set.