CCC Participates in AFED Conference on Financing Sustainable Development in Arab Countries

On 8-9 November 2018, in Beirut, Lebanon CCC participated in the annual conference of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) focusing on the theme of “Financing Sustainable Development in Arab Countries”. The conference hosted 420 delegates from 36 countries representing governments, civil society organizations, academic institutions and corporations. Several regional and international organizations active in the field of sustainable development, environmental policies and the banking sectors took part. Delegates included representation from the World Bank, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) regional hub for the Arab Countries, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Islamic Development Bank and the Kuwait Fund.

CCC was represented by Mr Nafez Husseini Vice President Information Systems, Technology & Sustainability. “Our attendance at the AFED conference underscores our dedication in addressing sustainability issues such as climate change concerns, environmental policies and anti-corruption in the MENA region and the construction industry,” Mr Husseini said.

Discussions focused on financing for sustainable development in Arab countries and implementing goals, as defined by the Paris Climate Change Agreement and United Nations 2030 Agenda. Country strategies, corporate experiences, case studies and environmental policies enabling investments in sustainable development programs were also presented. The conference confirmed the findings of AFED’s recent report about the region’s funding gap towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and underlined the severe effects of climate change, corruption and conflict on sustainable development and the region’s economy.

Conference sessions emphasized on tackling corruption in the Arab world and proposed a roadmap for establishing good governance and transparency. Mr Nafez Husseini said this occasion was a beneficial opportunity to compare CCC’s internal anti-corruption procedures with the processes suggested by expert organizations such as ESCWA, UNDP and OECD. “CCC’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption program (EACP) is truly advanced and in compliance with the global anti-corruption standards” he said.

The need for the private sector to take bold actions against climate change and in particular investing in sustainable energy was also stressed at the conference. CCC adheres to these principles by concentrating on sustainable resource management and energy use.