The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), has will be launched the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP) on Monday, 7 December 2020.
The programme was launched virtual ceremony on GotoWebinar and was officially opened by the Deputy Director General of the dtic, Mr Sipho Zikode and the Ambassador of Switzerland, Dr Nicolas Brühl.
The project is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented internationally by UNIDO.
South Africa was chosen to host the Programme of Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) to supports the Industrial Park Revitalisation Programme (IPRP) of the dtic, matching the core focus areas of economic, social and environmental benefit in support of the national priorities to address poverty, employment, inequality and growth. The NCPC-SA will be the national implementer of the three-year programme, following a successful pilot project in 2018-19.
The EIP approach is flexible and can be applied to parks of all sizes, both private and publicly owned. The NCPC-SA project will focus on three government-owned EIP parks – East London Industrial Development Zone (SEZ), Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park and Ekandustria.
According to DDG Zikode, the launch marked a very important chapter in building capacity of state-led industrial parks in the country towards the articulation of green economy.
“Our pursuit in establishing sustainable industrial ecosystems, especially in the township and rural communities, should incorporate holistic balanced economic indicators, which are contextual to their environment. Together with international agencies such as UNIDO and SECO on board, we aim to strengthen the IPRP to achieve this milestone,” said Zikode
The Ambassador of Switzerland to South Africa Dr Brühl, expressed his satisfaction with the launch of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP).
“The programme will further improve the environmental, economic, and social performance and competitive advantage of industrial parks, which will contribute to strengthening economic development. Dr Brühl also reiterated that the EIP programme will foster the development of a low-emission and climate resilient economy by supporting the implementation of appropriate framework conditions which will contribute to economic growth, job creation, more equality and less poverty in the long-run,” said Brühl.
The launch of the GEIPP comes on the heels of the 9th session of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) between the two countries that took place in November.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedtic.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti
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