Congo Brazzaville: Four day conference on SESA in sustainable development

In Congo Brazzaville, the Secretariat for Environmental Assessment in Central Africa (SEEAC) organised a four day workshop and conference on SESA as a tool for sustainable development. The NCEA contributed to the workshop as part of the ongoing cooperation with SEEAC.

The conference dealt mainly with legislation and the strengths and weaknesses of SESA in Central Africa, and showcased examples of its application in the region. The NCEA gave a presentation on the potential of SESA to sustainably manage major economic projects in the TRIDOM area. In this case, SESA will allow for equitable consideration of people, planet and profit, and it streamlines cooperation between different key ministries.

The four day event emphasised the strategic nature of SESA, compared to ESIA. Although there is already a strong ESIA practice, SESA requires even closer cooperation between all actors involved, most notably at governmental level.

Finally, the conference demonstrated the energy and initiative amongst EA professionals in Central Africa, and showcased the SEEAC’s potential as a platform to raise awareness  for ESIA and SESA as tools for sustainable development.

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