Accra-Ghana, Sept. 29, GNA – Madam Mawusi Nudekor Awity, Director General Ghana TVET Service, says learning and development stand as essential tools in Africa’s pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the unlocking of Africa Continental Free Trade Area’s potential.
She said by investing in education and skills enhancement, African nations could empower their citizens, cultivate a flexible and adaptable workforce, and seize the opportunities arising from regional economic integration.
Madam Awity was speaking at the 2023 Annual Learning and Development (L&D) Africa Conference on the theme “Accelerating Africa’s Sustainable Development: L&D as a Catalyst to Africa’s Sustainability.”
The L&D Africa Conference sought to create a platform and avenue for African L&D professionals to meet as one unified body, discuss trends and innovative interventions in the L&D space, and share home-grown ideas and solutions to peculiar challenges within the context of international best practices.
She said professionals should commit themselves to this pivotal mission, collaboratively working towards a brighter and more prosperous future for Africa.
The Director-General said the SDGs, embraced by Africa as a developmental roadmap, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 and these goals encompassed a broad spectrum of objectives, spanning from eradicating poverty and ensuring food security to achieving gender equality and environmental sustainability. 
“To translate these ambitious objectives into reality, African nations must prioritize Learning and Development as a fundamental cornerstone of their strategies,” she added.
She said in addition to traditional education, digital technology held the potential to be a potent enabler of L&D and online courses, e-learning platforms, and digital skills training had the capacity to reach remote and underserved communities, democratizing access to knowledge.
She said governments and organizations should harness the power of technology to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that no one was excluded from the opportunities presented by the digital age.
Mrs Margaret Jackson, the Convener of the Learning and Development Africa Conference, said the African continent faced myriad of challenges like poverty, inequality, conflict, climate change, and health crises.
She said these issues necessitated a collective effort from governments, civil society, the private sector, and international partners to address.
She said as L&D professionals, it was their duty to equip the people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to thrive in the 21st century and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Mrs Jackson said sustainability revolved around the delicate balance of meeting today’s needs without compromising the needs of tomorrow.
“This is further complicated because there are so many arms of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental, all of which are important to us Africans and L&D professionals.”
She said sustainability was often visualized as a three-pillar model with economic, environmental, and social sustainability forming the pillars.
She said economic sustainability entailed judicious resource management for long-term prosperity, while social sustainability focused on fostering inclusive societies that cater to the diverse needs of our people.
Mrs Jackson said environmental sustainability underscored the preservation of the country’s natural ecosystems, safeguarding them for future generations.
To achieve true sustainability, these pillars must be in balance and support one another and this was a concept, which was sometimes referred to as the “triple bottom line” or “people, planet, profit.
“In practice, sustainability involves a range of actions and strategies, such as renewable energy adoption, responsible consumption and production, ethical business practices, conservation efforts, social justice initiatives, and more,” she added.
