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Everything I wear sends a message

Friday July 13 2018
munang

Dr Richard Munang, the Africa Regional Climate Change Co-ordinator at UN Environment. PHOTO | COURTESY

By KINGWA KAMENCU

Born in Cameroon but now working and residing in Kenya, Dr Richard Munang is the Africa Regional Climate Change Co-ordinator at UN Environment.

He has a PhD in Environmental Change and Policy from the University of Nottingham (UK), and an Executive Certificate in Climate Change and Energy Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (US).

His work involves incentivising countries to shift to low emissions through the Ecosystems Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA) policy action framework. EBAFOSA seeks to create an action framework by which a country can lead in establishing a market-driven paradigm of climate actions.

A leading light in the fight for climate change, Dr Munang won two prestigious awards in 2016 — African Environmental Hero Award and Baobab’s staff Awards for Programme Innovation.

Dr Munang also mentors and empowers young professionals through EBAFOSA, and has mentored more than five million African youth to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in class towards solving Africa’s environmental and development challenges.

He has also participated in a wide variety of research projects and has published over 500 articles in both international peer review journals and magazines.

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He published and launched his first book in May — Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism. It outlines practical policies African countries should take to accelerate socio-economic transformation and achieve ideals of the sustainable development goals.

He says: “Many countries in Africa have been independent now for several decades but the pace of socio-economic transformation in the region has not been reflective of the decades of self rule.”

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What is your off-duty passion?

I love dancing and reading widely on Africa and global development.

What would you have been if you had not got into the field you are in today?

Regardless of the field, I would be addressing myself to issues of human wellbeing and leveraging the environment as a resource.

For example, a healthy environment is the first defence against diseases; the environment is also the best platform to demonstrate the relevance of technology to human wellbeing.

What signifies your personal style?

Inspirational engagements. I aspire to inspire others to become the best versions of themselves so that they can drive continental development.

How do you manage your wardrobe?

Everything I wear is meant to send a message, which is mostly to inspire the youth to be better, responsible versions of themselves.

I match my suits with various tie colours. Green is one of my favourite tie colours signifying the environment and agriculture, the core sector accelerating Africa’s inclusive growth.

You will also often find me in a yellow tie, which signifies hope. Blue is a personal favourite signifying our oceans and their seeming endlessness, which should remind us of Africa’s potential for prosperity.

I wear orange as a colour of youthful authority, vigour and leadership, instilling confidence that the youth can think and shape Africa’s development and put it in the lane where it rightfully belongs to considering that the continent is “playing catch-up” on the global economic stage.

So, my wardrobe is an inspiration to myself and millions of youth across the continent.

While in East Africa, where are you most likely to spend your Saturday afternoon?

I have lived in Nairobi for nine years. On some Saturday afternoons I go out for some barbecue, either nyama choma or kuku choma.

The ultimate intention even as I go out is to meet young people whom I teach to be responsible and make an effort to attain whatever they aspire to be.

Describe your best destination yet in East Africa?

The Matoke Hills of Uganda and savannahs and highlands of Kenya stand out for me.

Do you have a must-visit list?

All the 54 countries of Africa are a must visit. I heard a joke once that God must have been in a very good mood when He created Africa.

The scenery and wildlife is amazing, the weather is optimal, the people inspiring, the lifestyle great.

Everything in this continent represents the realities and beauty of this planet. My dreams and aspirations would be fulfilled anywhere on this continent.

What is East Africa’s greatest strength?

The East African Community. The consolidation of goods, services and labour markets is a critical success factor in building sustainable industries that will propel the continent to global acclaim.

The “Young Diplomats of Kenya” for instance are getting ready to leverage diplomacy specifically for accelerated socioeconomic transformation and climate resilience building. This is a new kind of diplomacy meant to create more opportunities and set the foundation for lasting peace, the essence of diplomacy.

What is your best collection?

African music. I love rhumba. It represents African culture and entertainment.

What’s the most thoughtful gift you’ve received?

The advice from my parents that I can become anything provided I put in the effort.

What’s the best gift you’ve given?

Mindset changing knowledge now crystallised in my book Making Africa Work through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism.

What book have you read recently?

Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading and Winning the Deal by Oren Klaff.

Which film has impacted you the most?

I don’t watch movies.

How do you stay informed in this fast-paced tech lifestyle of today?

I read and also leverage on the ubiquity of social media.

What is never missing in your fridge?

Fruits, especially bananas and kiwi fruit.

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