By Hon. Prof. Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, C.Arb, FCIArb is a Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution at the University of Nairobi, Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration, Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Respected Sustainable Development Policy Advisor, Top Natural Resources Lawyer, Highly-Regarded Dispute Resolution Expert and Awardee of the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya by H.E. the President of Republic of Kenya. He is The African ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, The African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, ADR Practitioner of the Year in Kenya 2021, CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and Author of the Kenya’s First ESG Book: Embracing Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) tenets for Sustainable Development” (Glenwood, Nairobi, July 2023) and Kenya’s First Two Climate Change Law Book: Combating Climate Change for Sustainability (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Achieving Climate Justice for Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023) and Promoting Rule of Law for Sustainable Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024)*
Capacity-building is recognized as one of the means of achievement of Sustainable Development. Building capacity is vital for achievement of sustainability in Africa. There has been some progress towards building individual (human), institutional/organization and legal capacity for sustainability in Africa. However, challenges such as inadequate skills, knowledge and competence; weak institutions; and weak legal regimes and failure to uphold the rule of law hinder the potential of Africa to achieve sustainability. It is important to address these problems in order to build capacity for sustainability in Africa.
Building capacity for sustainability in Africa calls for strengthening individual/human capabilities in terms of skills, training, performance, values, attitudes, motivation, professional integrity, relationships, and communication skills; the establishment of strong, independent and efficient institutions/organizations; strengthening the rule of law; and embracing regional, continental and global cooperation towards building capacity for sustainability in Africa. Building capacity for sustainability in Africa is an important and achievable ideal.
In order to achieve sustainability in Africa, there is need to build the Continent’s individual (human) capacity . This calls for strengthening of individual/human capabilities in terms of skills, training, performance, values, attitudes, motivation, professional integrity, relationships, and communication skills. It has been pointed out that building individual/human capacity in Africa can strengthen the ability of Africans to conceptualize, design, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate the required and result oriented programs/ projects, policies and strategies geared towards sustainability in the continent68. It has correctly been pointed out that through capacity building, an individual who has been empowered to facilitate change can impact their organization and their community.
Individual (human) capacity in Africa can be enhanced through education, training and mentorship. In addition, it has been pointed out that building capacity through developing entrepreneurial skills in individuals can help create more successful businesses in Africa which can lead to greater economic stability throughout the Continent. It is therefore imperative to build individual (human) capacity in Africa. It has been correctly pointed out that harnessing individual potentials of Africa’s human capital is the most sustainable key to economic transformation and social progress.
In addition, it is imperative to strengthen Africa’s institutional/ organizational capacity. It has been pointed out that achieving sustainability in Africa demands that the institutions tasked with delivering rapid structural transformation and growth be able to act both effectively and in a coordinated manner. However, the institutional/organizational capacity in many African countries is characterized by weak institutions which hinders the capacity to formulate and implement policies, strategies, programs and projects.
It has been pointed out that the institutional capacities of African countries will have to be strengthened if the many challenges facing the continent are to be overcome. Institutions/organizations are the major drivers of socioeconomic development throughout the world and thus achieving sustainability in Africa calls for the establishment of strong, independent and efficient institutions/organizations. Further, there is need to create enabling policy, legal and regulatory environments in Africa through measures such as strengthening the rule of law and enacting and implementing sound laws.
The rule of law is widely recognized as an essential component of good governance and Sustainable Development. However, the rule of law in some Africa countries is threatened by challenges such as corruption, lack of strong independent democratic institutions, weak judiciaries, and a shrinking civic space. It is therefore important to address these challenges in order to create enabling policy, legal and regulatory environments for sustainability in Africa. This calls for enactment and implementation of sound legislations, strengthening the rule of law, tackling corruption and fostering judicial independence.
Finally, there is need to embrace regional, continental and global cooperation towards building capacity for sustainability in Africa. It has been asserted that countries can achieve sustainability through strengthening of technical and scientific cooperation, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation. SDG 17 urges all countries to enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the SDGs, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.
It is therefore important to build capacity for sustainability in Africa by embracing regional, continental and global cooperation in areas such as technical and scientific cooperation and research. It is important to embrace the foregoing among other measures in order to build capacity for sustainability in Africa.
*This is an extract from the Book: Promoting Rule of Law for Sustainable Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) by Hon. Prof. Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution, Senior Advocate of Kenya, Chartered Arbitrator, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (CIArb Kenya), African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Africa ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, Member of National Environment Tribunal (NET) Emeritus (2017 to 2023) and Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration nominated by Republic of Kenya. Prof. Kariuki Muigua is a foremost Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert in Kenya. Prof. Kariuki Muigua teaches Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law, The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Prof. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates and Africa Trustee Emeritus of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 2019-2022. Prof. Muigua is a 2023 recipient of President of the Republic of Kenya Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) Award for his service to the Nation as a Distinguished Expert, Academic and Scholar in Dispute Resolution and recognized among the top 5 leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts in Band 1 in Kenya by the Chambers Global Guide 2024 and was listed in the Inaugural THE LAWYER AFRICA Litigation Hall of Fame 2023 as one of the Top 50 Most Distinguished Litigation Lawyers in Kenya and the Top Arbitrator in Kenya in 2023.
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