Green Development Strategy 2025-2050

This Green Development Strategy (GDS) addresses the challenges of the country's vulnerability to financial shocks and environmental degradation, by outlining a long-term vision for the period 2025–2050, focusing on sustainable economic diversification, environmental conservation, and social equity, integrating economic, environmental, and social goals within a unified framework. The Strategy aims at reducing dependency on extractive artisanal mining industries by fostering sectors such as ecotourism, renewable energy, financial services, and agro-processing. At the same time, the Strategy focuses on environmental protection and climate resilience, pollution control, and sustainable land management. Social progress is another key focus, with inclusive development ensuring that marginalised communities, including Indigenous groups and low-income populations, benefit from economic advancements. Strengthening governance and institutions is fundamental, as transparency, accountability, and public participation are essential for ensuring stability and effective policy implementation. Aligned with national legal frameworks and international commitments such as the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), this Strategy describes the country's path to shifting from resource dependency to a diversified, climate-resilient economy, while maintaining a carbon-negative status and ensuring inclusive growth for all citizens.
This Strategy is built on four strategic pillars: 1) Economic diversification and growth, focused on expanding industries such as agriculture, forestry, ecotourism, financial services, ICT, and renewable energy, reducing reliance on extractive industries; 2) Environmental protection and climate resilience, strengthening biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, sustainable land and water management, and pollution control; 3) Social inclusivity and equity aimed at improving education, labor market participation, gender equality, Indigenous rights, and healthcare access; 4) Governance and institutional strengthening focused on improving transparency, stakeholder engagement, and institutional capacity to drive long-term development. The Strategy analyses four potential scenarios to determine the most viable development path: a Business-as-Usual (BAU) approach, where the country continues to rely on extractive industries, would likely lead to economic stagnation, worsening inequality, and environmental degradation; an agriculture-focused model could boost employment but risks increasing deforestation; a strategy centred on industrialisation would bring economic benefits but carry moderate environmental risks. Meanwhile, a services-led growth approach, focused on ICT, finance, and tourism, presents the best balance, allowing for sustainable diversification with minimal environmental trade-offs. The Strategy also specifies the investment required for its implementation.