The Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for the African Region has organized the Inception Workshop for the project “GEFID 11049: Circular and POPs-Free Plastics in Africa” (otherwise known as the Africa Plastics Project). The event was held at the Ole Sereni Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya during 12-14 November 2024.

The regional project, funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), has the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the Implementing Agency, and BCCC-Nigeria as the Regional Executing Agency. The project is being executed in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, where the National Executing Partners are, respectively, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry – Kenya; National Environmental Standards & Regulations Enforcement Agency – Nigeria;Department of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment – South Africa; National Environmental Management Authority – Uganda; and Environmental Management Agency – Zimbabwe.

The project, with a duration period of five years (2024 – 2029) aims to reduce the releases of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from plastic products in the African continent. Three product sectors have been prioritized for the interventions in the countries: automotives sector (in Kenya and South Africa), building &constructionsector (in Zimbabwe) and electronics equipment sector (in Nigeria and Uganda). Project interventions have been designed to reduce the import, production and use of POPs in plastic-containing products, and the generation of uPOPs and greenhouse gases (GHG) in these sectors. The project will work with governments to adopt and enforce upstream policies and financial instruments; with plastic product designers, manufacturers and assemblers to implement circular economy practices and eliminate/replace problematic products with more sustainable alternatives. It will also work with recyclers and collectors to separate hazardous plastics fractions and increase awareness among stakeholders and the public. This is projected to result in multiple global environmental benefits that include the reduction of POPs containing plastics, reduction of emission of POPs, and mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions that will lead to reduced negativeimpacts on human health, environment, and the economy.

Participants at the workshop included the project Focal Points and Project Steering Committee members of the five countries, national and regional experts appointed for the project, additionally selected stakeholders of the project from Kenya, officials of BCCC-Nigeria and UNEP-GEF Office/Unit, as well as UNEP Regional Office for Africa.

The workshop reviewed and adopted many project implementation issues (including, regional and national work plans, budgets, procurement plans, forecasts, institutional arrangements, Steering Committee terms of reference, cofinance commitments, stakeholders engagement, risk management, MoUs between national executing partners and BCCC-Nigeria, among other matters).

Click here to see pictures from the Inception Workshop