As reported in our columns, Romy Voos (inset), CEO of TF 361, is preparing for the Sustainable Development Conference to be held in Madagascar on November 4 and 5*.
She presented the main lines of this roadmap during the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week. Contacted by us after the presentation, here is a summary of her speech.
“I did not make a long speech, but highlighted the strong points.
The objective was to create a common regional action force along three different axes:
First, a south-south axis that translates into articulations within consortia of Indian Ocean companies that collaborate together in their field of activity.
The second pillar being the aligned approach, that is to say that the private actors of the Indian Ocean will align themselves with the EU (green deal), the United Nations agencies in the framework of UNIDO, UNDP and UNOPS (for project management) and IORA. This will strengthen the private sector’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The third point, which is very important, aims at a paradigm shift: we will no longer talk about solving poverty but creating value, wealth. This will be done through sustainable projects, regional cooperation and South-South collaboration.
As a result, I underlined other points, such as the difficulty of access to green finance.
For example, Africa captures only 20% of the green finance deployed in the world and 16 African countries together receive only 0.16% of the green finance funds deployed by development partners…
Another problem is to ensure that these funds actually reach the projects and not get lost in the maze of administrations or multi-layered procedures.
To do this, we need to give more responsibility and flexibility to the private sector through these projects.
Finally, the last point I stressed is that of transfer and strengthening of skills because there is no point in releasing funds to our islands of the Indian Ocean if we do not have the expertise to ensure the management of these funds so that they can help achieve the SDGs through business projects.
These proposals were well received and the Secretary General of Global Compact underlined the commitment of the Indian Ocean private sector, as well as the EU and the AU.
The world is watching the Indian Ocean in its ability to deliver these projects.”
Read the full ITV of Romy Voos Andrianarisoa, on our next edition of the magazine (Le Journal des Archipels is a partner of ADDOI)
These Conferences are funded by the UNDP and the EU, and supported by the Government of Madagascar.
