Africa Caribbean and Pacific High-Level Conference on the Implementation of the Outcomes of the CBD COP 15 and CITES COP19

Background and Objective

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa Union Commission (AUC), United Nations Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Africa Development Bank (AfDB), with funding from the European Union through the SWITCH Africa Green programme, developed the ‘Guidelines for Accelerating the Circular Economy Transition in Africa’ through a consultative process with African countries, RECs and Civil Society Organisations.

The session aimed to launch and discuss the developed Guidelines to Accelerate the Transition Towards a Circular Economy in Africa as a robust tool to drive the implementation of a circular economy in Africa. It highlighted the opportunities and challenges, policies, partnerships, financing, markets, etc. essential for the transition to circularity in Africa.

The event contributed to operationalising the decisions of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution on circular economy and sustainable consumption and production.

The main objectives of the session were:

1. Stimulate discussions on the importance of circular economy in driving sustainable development.
2. Provide guidance and information on the areas and practices where circular economy approaches present particular benefits both short-term and long-term.
3. Discuss the opportunities and challenges of adopting circularity in Africa.
4. Launch the ‘Guidelines to Accelerate the Transition Towards a Circular Economy in Africa’ as a robust tool to drive the implementation of a circular economy in Africa.

Agenda:

1. High-level Moderator/Chair of the event – Director, Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, AUC, Mr. Harsen Nyambe Nyambe
2. Introductory Remarks, Head a.i Liaison Office to AUC, UNECA and Representative to Ethiopia, UNEP, Margaret Oduk
3. Speakers/panelists for discussions:

           Director, Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management, UNECA Jean-Paul Adam

           Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ghana: H.E. Dr. Kwaku Afriyie

           Minister of Water and Environment, Uganda: H.E Sam Mangusho Cheptoris

Questions and Answers- All

       Launch of the Guidelines - Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation & Tourism, Botswana H.E Philda Nani Kereng

Closing Remarks: European Union (EU)