A three-day United Nations (UN) Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) has been officially opened at the University of Ghana, Legon, to deepen the capacity of think-tanks in ensuring sustainable development and poverty eradication in Africa, through green economy.

The conference, which began yesterday at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at Legon, and brought together people from all walks of life to outline policies that would connect Africa to the world, was expected to end on Friday.

The Rio+20 conference, under the theme "Beyond Rio+20: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities", was to further ensure participation among policymakers, researchers, users of research results, and citizens, for a sustainable development of the African economy.

Speaking at the gathering, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), who also chaired the occasion, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, said it had become compulsory for Africa to grow faster, but was quick to add that the conference would bring out intellectual ideas, and how to use them to better reflect in policy making.

"Creative thinking is engaging with government, private sector, civil societies, and after which government can better understand what they sign. The answer will come when we think about the short and long term to see where the problem lies," he said. He reiterated that poverty eradication in Africa would be achieved by the greener environment.

This was supported by the Deputy Regional Representative for Africa for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dr. Lamourdia Thiombiano, who noted that it was a call in the right direction.

To him, there could not have been a better time to provide an insight on the issue of sustainability in Africa, saying, "Africa is a world of diversity, and should be a region of human security," explaining that Geneva and China had achieved the same through agricultural security, by protecting and conserving their food and service. "We are taking natural resources for granted. Think-tanks like you must change the thinking of policy makers."

Dr. Lamourdia Thiombiano stressed that the conference was a unique platform for strategic dialogue and reforms, and pledged the FAO's continued willingness to support agriculture, strengthen international and national governance, and educational capacity.

To that end, he said, "Africa has to impact in Rio+20 with sound proactive proposals."

On his part, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Mr. Dominic Sam, said his outfit would continue to support the fight for economic development and sustainability.

Other speakers at the conference included representatives from the African Development Bank (AFDB) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC), who all pledged to support the Rio+20 agenda.