Jospong Group, UN University seal green deal at COP30

The Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bridge the gap between climate ambition and tangible action in Africa.

Signed on Monday on the sidelines of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the agreement aims to fuse Jospong Group’s action-oriented projects in waste management and agriculture with UNU-INRA’s research prowess to drive green industrialisation, build climate resilience, and empower small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) across the continent.

The General Manager of the Jospong Group Green Transition Office, Dr Glenn Kwabena Gyimah, signed for the conglomerate, while the Director of UNU-INRA, Professor Fatima Denton, signed for the University. The ceremony was witnessed by a delegation from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science, and Innovation at COP30, including Chairman Yaw Frimpong Addo, Vice Chairperson John Darko, and the Ranking Member, Dr Adam Hamza.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Gyimah described the partnership as a pivotal step in the group’s sustainability mission, underscoring the strategic importance of the collaboration. “As a group, we drive sustainability in an integral order. Sustainability is now a market that drives economies, and we are particular about it,” he noted. He explained that the partnership was being formed to drive growth, investments, create jobs, and have an impact worldwide, stressing, “This MOU signing is a privilege, and we’ll hear about the outcome in the coming time.”

Professor Denton emphasised the critical need for such a partnership, indicating that green businesses were essential. She lamented that many African entrepreneurs were not inclined towards green business, despite its importance, noting, “The infrastructure is often not there. The technology is absent. The resources are not there.”

Elaborating the synergy between the two institutions, she explained that while Jospong was action-oriented in waste management, agriculture, and green transition, the UN Institute was research-oriented. “The partnership would leverage their strengths, combining Jospong’s practical experience with the UN Institute’s research expertise to support Africa,” she added.

Professor Denton contextualised the agreement within the broader COP negotiations, stressing the need for a “fair deal” for Africa that includes finance and technology transfer. “When we come to the COP, the conversations that I had are very much geared towards decarbonisation. It doesn’t mean we don’t want decarbonisation. We want decarbonisation that’s fair, decarbonisation that’s inclusive,” she stated.

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Environment Committee, Dr Hamza, commended the initiative for bridging “the gap between theory and practice, academia and industry.” He urged both parties to ensure the partnership delivered concrete results, assuring them of parliamentary support on policy and legislation to ensure success.

In her welcome address, a Senior Sustainability Officer at Jospong Green Transition Office, Dr Gloria Kusi Boamah, stated: “This MoU symbolises more than cooperation; it represents a shared vision, a vision where research informs action, where technology and policy work hand in hand.”

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