Conciliating sustainable development and growth: implications for Africa

For three days this week, researchers from Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan African countries will discuss sustainable development issues affecting their regions.

“This year, we will examine interactions between trade, investment and sustainable development”, explained Azzedine Ghoufrane, Dean of the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Science and WTO chair at the Mohammed V University of Rabat Souissi.

“We will study relations between these pillars through various angles including green economy as a niche for growth, climate change and the mobility of goods and people, the trade of environmental goods and services or the link between finance, investment and sustainable development.”

According to Cécile Bastidon, LEAD representative at the Colloquium, participants will also consider whether developing countries are able to implement international environmental and sustainable development commitments under their various forms. They will focus on aspects such as quality public services, the economic inclusion of women, improved productivity in rural areas – where pockets of poverty can often be found, improved access to financial services or social protection systems that answer the needs of the most vulnerable.

“Participants will also study how giving prominence to environment protection is an optimal choice for Africa, and consider the potential impact of such decisions on the continent’s ability to trade with the rest of the world”, said Omar Abdourahman, interim Director at the ECA office in North Africa.