3rd Biodiversity Economy Indaba closing ceremony and Street Parade in East London, Eastern Cape
The 3rd Biodiversity Economy Indaba (BEI) will wrap up at the International Convention Centre in East London, Eastern Cape, tomorrow, 10 March 2018 with a pledge by stakeholders to further contribute to the development and economic growth of the sector.
More than 600 stakeholders have been attending the Indaba since 7 March 2018 under the theme “Entrepreneurs meet investors, for a thriving and inclusive biodiversity economy”. The aim of the three-day long workshop has been to match the various stockholders with aspirant investors and related markets within and outside South Africa.
During the Indaba, government and industry stakeholders from wildlife and bio-prospecting sectors either added their voices to a pledge, or renewed their pledges, of commitment to the development and economic growth of a sector of South Africa’s economy that has the potential to become one of the largest contributors to the country’s GDP. In recent years, the biodiversity economy, which is an important contributor to job creation, has shown a constant annual growth of six percent.
The development of a fourteen year National Biodiversity Economy Strategy, designed to achieve the anticipated sustainable advancement for the wildlife and bioprospecting sectors of South Africa to the economy of the country, achieving sustainable livelihoods specifically for rural communities would ultimately advance meaningful contribution to achieving the targets of the National Development Plan.
Biodiversity has globally been identified as the cornerstone for economic growth and sustainable development. As the third mega-biological diverse country in the world, South Africa has posed a challenge to itself to establish mechanisms in which its biodiversity can be sustainably used to contribute towards addressing the vicious circle of the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The Indaba programme ends with the pledge by stakeholders and a report-back by the leaders of the parallel sessions on the wildlife economy, bioprospecting and biotrade sectors and eco-tourism on actions to be taken to ensure the growth of this part of the South African economy in the foreseeable future.
This will be followed by the Biodiversity Economy Parade on the Esplanade in East London.
Media are invited to attend.
Closing Session:
Date: 10 March 2018
Time: 9h00
Venue: ICC, East London
Street Parade:
Date: 10 March 2018
Time: 11h00
Venue: ICC, East London
To RSVP contact:
Khomotjo Phaladi
Tel: 012 399 9908 / 082 621 1880
E-mail: kphaladi@environment.gov.za
Eleanor Momberg
Cell: 083 400 5741
E-mail: emomberg@environment.gov.za
For media inquiries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
