BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a511edf634dc DTSTART:20230411T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20230411T160000Z LOCATION:Nairobi\, Kenya SUMMARY:East Africa workshop on single use plastics and plastic substitutes CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Over 40 officials\, including members of national parliaments a nd policymakers from seven East African Community (EAC) member countries m et for a two-day event in Nairobi to discuss the negative effects of singl e-use plastics materials and explore ways to achieve a single-use plastic- free East Africa. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Afr ica Legal Network\, the FlipFlopi Project\, the ICCF Group\, the SMEP Prog ramme\, and UNCTAD. Key issues discussed included how national laws and ex perience can help build a regional harmonized policy in East Africa for re ducing single-use plastics\, material alternatives and substitutes\, plast ic trade\, and regional approaches to tackling plastic pollution. A draft bill proposing regulations on unnecessary single-use plastic items and mol ecules was also discussed.  \n\nMembers of parliament of East African Cou ntries\, including representatives from the East African Assembly\, are co nsidering harmonizing national legislation on the manufacture\, sale\, and importation of certain non-essential single-use plastic items that are de trimental to the environment and livelihoods\, especially those that canno t be recycled\, and are easily substitutable. \n\nParticipants were unani mous in their agreement to take a regional approach and committed to takin g collective action to ensure all East Africans can thrive and be part of a sustainable transition to a more circular economy and a healthier enviro nment.  \n\nHon. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci\, a member of Parliament from Sout h Sudan\, highlighted the need to benefit from alternative materials such as jute\, sisal or agricultural residues\, which can promote innovations b ased on traditional knowledge. Hon. Françoise Uwumukiza\, member of the E ast African Legislative Assembly (EALA) from Rwanda shared the success of Rwanda'\;s comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics.  According to Ms. Uwumukiza\, Rwanda started examining plastic pollution problems back in 2003\, with comprehensive legislation to phase out singl e-use plastics being adopted in 2019. Trade plays an important role\, as m any plastics came to Rwanda through formal or informal imports.  The key for Rwanda'\;s success in reducing plastic pollution was the strong en forcement of the single use plastic ban\, and public awareness of the bene fits of a clean environment.  Today\, Kigali is known as Africa’s clean est city\, she mentioned.  \n\nThe Director of Kenya'\;s environmenta l management authority (NEMA)\, Mr. Mamo Boru Mamo stressed the importance of national environmental management agencies in monitoring and policing policies on single-use plastics in East Africa. He mentioned that it is im portant legislators and environmental management agencies across East Afri ca collaborate to develop\, implement\, and constantly improve regulations on single-use plastics.  He also mentioned the experiences from the regi on can be building blocks for the international instrument against plastic pollution being negotiated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) under the United Nations. \n\nAll MPs present agreed on the need f or legislation on SUPs at a regional level\, rather than at the national l evel. They explored proposing a SUP EAC law as a council bill at the EALA level and in parallel at country level as private bills by MPs\, which wou ld lead to discussions among country bodies. UNCTAD facilitated discussion s on plastic substitutes\, an important area for reducing plastics use\, w hich provides significant social and environmental opportunities.  \n\nTh e workshop provided stronger African voices and practical experiences into multilateral processes at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (IN C) and at the World Trade Organization dialogue on plastics\, where EAC co untries are members.  \n\nThis activity was part of the Sustainable Manuf acturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) Programme\, funded by the Uni ted Kingdom'\;s Foreign\, Commonwealth and Development Office and has benefited from collaboration with the Ocean Economy programme.  \n<\;p& gt\;Over 40 officials\, including members of national parliaments and poli cymakers from seven East African Community (EAC) member countries met for a two-day event in Nairobi to discuss the negative effects of single-use p lastics materials and explore ways to achieve a single-use plastic-free Ea st Africa. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Africa Leg al Network\, the FlipFlopi Project\, the ICCF Group\, the SMEP Programme\, and UNCTAD. Key issues discussed included how national laws and experienc e can help build a regional harmonized policy in East Africa for reducing single-use plastics\, material alternatives and substitutes\, plastic trad e\, and regional approaches to tackling plastic pollution. A draft bill pr oposing regulations on unnecessary single-use plastic items and molecules was also discussed. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Members of parl iament of East African Countries\, including representatives from the East African Assembly\, are considering harmonizing national legislation on th e manufacture\, sale\, and importation of certain non-essential single-use plastic items that are detrimental to the environment and livelihoods\, e specially those that cannot be recycled\, and are easily substitutable.&am p\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Participants were unanimous in their a greement to take a regional approach and committed to taking collective ac tion to ensure all East Africans can thrive and be part of a sustainable t ransition to a more circular economy and a healthier environment. &\;nb sp\;<\;/p>\;\n<\;img alt="\;Hon. Rebecca Okwaci\, Member of Parl iament\, South Sudan"\; class="\;img-responsive"\; data-align= "\;center"\; data-caption="\;Hon. Rebecca Okwaci\, Member of P arliament\, South Sudan"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-en tity-uuid="\;931cbf22-4b55-4ae5-80d5-6c54a009fcce"\; src="\;/s ites/default/files/inline-images/1S3A9984.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;Ho n. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci\, a member of Parliament from South Sudan\, highl ighted the need to benefit from alternative materials such as jute\, sisal or agricultural residues\, which can promote innovations based on traditi onal knowledge. Hon. Françoise Uwumukiza\, member of the East African Leg islative Assembly (EALA) from Rwanda shared the success of Rwanda'\;s comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics. &\;nbsp\;Ac cording to Ms. Uwumukiza\, Rwanda started examining plastic pollution prob lems back in 2003\, with comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics being adopted in 2019. Trade plays an important role\, as many p lastics came to Rwanda through formal or informal imports. &\;nbsp\;The key for Rwanda'\;s success in reducing plastic pollution was the stro ng enforcement of the single use plastic ban\, and public awareness of the benefits of a clean environment. &\;nbsp\;Today\, Kigali is known as A frica’s cleanest city\, she mentioned. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n<\;im g alt="\;"\; class="\;img-responsive"\; data-caption=" \;Mr. Mamo Boru Mamo\, Director General\, Kenya National Environmental Man agement Authority (NEMA)"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-e ntity-uuid="\;e9070e39-076c-46c2-9f1a-4052a826a64f"\; src="\;/ sites/default/files/inline-images/_DSC7546.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;T he Director of Kenya'\;s environmental management authority (NEMA)\, M r. Mamo Boru Mamo stressed the importance of national environmental manage ment agencies in monitoring and policing policies on single-use plastics i n East Africa. He mentioned that it is important legislators and environme ntal management agencies across East Africa collaborate to develop\, imple ment\, and constantly improve regulations on single-use plastics. &\;nb sp\;He also mentioned the experiences from the region can be building bloc ks for the international instrument against plastic pollution being negoti ated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) under the United Nations.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;All MPs present agreed on the need for legislation on SUPs at a regional level\, rather than at the national level. They explored proposing a SUP EAC law as a council bill at the EALA level and in parallel at country level as private bills by MPs\, which would lead to discussions among country bodies. UNCTAD facilitated discussions on plastic substitutes\, an important area for reducing plasti cs use\, which provides significant social and environmental opportunities . &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The workshop provided stronger Af rican voices and practical experiences into multilateral processes at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and at the World Trade Organ ization dialogue on plastics\, where EAC countries are members. &\;nbsp \;<\;/p>\;\n<\;img alt="\;"\; class="\;img-responsive&qu ot\; data-align="\;center"\; data-caption="\;Event participant s.&\;amp\;nbsp\;"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-entity -uuid="\;26523097-36a9-4a82-8c7a-e458dac8f1a7"\; src="\;/sites /default/files/inline-images/_DSC7121.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;This a ctivity was part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollut ion (SMEP)&\;nbsp\;Programme\, funded by the United Kingdom'\;s For eign\, Commonwealth and Development Office and has benefited from collabor ation with the Ocean Economy programme. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/node/40818 DTSTAMP:20260710T163335Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a511edf6354e DTSTART:20230412T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20230412T160000Z LOCATION:Nairobi\, Kenya SUMMARY:East Africa workshop on single use plastics and plastic substitutes CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Over 40 officials\, including members of national parliaments a nd policymakers from seven East African Community (EAC) member countries m et for a two-day event in Nairobi to discuss the negative effects of singl e-use plastics materials and explore ways to achieve a single-use plastic- free East Africa. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Afr ica Legal Network\, the FlipFlopi Project\, the ICCF Group\, the SMEP Prog ramme\, and UNCTAD. Key issues discussed included how national laws and ex perience can help build a regional harmonized policy in East Africa for re ducing single-use plastics\, material alternatives and substitutes\, plast ic trade\, and regional approaches to tackling plastic pollution. A draft bill proposing regulations on unnecessary single-use plastic items and mol ecules was also discussed.  \n\nMembers of parliament of East African Cou ntries\, including representatives from the East African Assembly\, are co nsidering harmonizing national legislation on the manufacture\, sale\, and importation of certain non-essential single-use plastic items that are de trimental to the environment and livelihoods\, especially those that canno t be recycled\, and are easily substitutable. \n\nParticipants were unani mous in their agreement to take a regional approach and committed to takin g collective action to ensure all East Africans can thrive and be part of a sustainable transition to a more circular economy and a healthier enviro nment.  \n\nHon. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci\, a member of Parliament from Sout h Sudan\, highlighted the need to benefit from alternative materials such as jute\, sisal or agricultural residues\, which can promote innovations b ased on traditional knowledge. Hon. Françoise Uwumukiza\, member of the E ast African Legislative Assembly (EALA) from Rwanda shared the success of Rwanda'\;s comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics.  According to Ms. Uwumukiza\, Rwanda started examining plastic pollution problems back in 2003\, with comprehensive legislation to phase out singl e-use plastics being adopted in 2019. Trade plays an important role\, as m any plastics came to Rwanda through formal or informal imports.  The key for Rwanda'\;s success in reducing plastic pollution was the strong en forcement of the single use plastic ban\, and public awareness of the bene fits of a clean environment.  Today\, Kigali is known as Africa’s clean est city\, she mentioned.  \n\nThe Director of Kenya'\;s environmenta l management authority (NEMA)\, Mr. Mamo Boru Mamo stressed the importance of national environmental management agencies in monitoring and policing policies on single-use plastics in East Africa. He mentioned that it is im portant legislators and environmental management agencies across East Afri ca collaborate to develop\, implement\, and constantly improve regulations on single-use plastics.  He also mentioned the experiences from the regi on can be building blocks for the international instrument against plastic pollution being negotiated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) under the United Nations. \n\nAll MPs present agreed on the need f or legislation on SUPs at a regional level\, rather than at the national l evel. They explored proposing a SUP EAC law as a council bill at the EALA level and in parallel at country level as private bills by MPs\, which wou ld lead to discussions among country bodies. UNCTAD facilitated discussion s on plastic substitutes\, an important area for reducing plastics use\, w hich provides significant social and environmental opportunities.  \n\nTh e workshop provided stronger African voices and practical experiences into multilateral processes at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (IN C) and at the World Trade Organization dialogue on plastics\, where EAC co untries are members.  \n\nThis activity was part of the Sustainable Manuf acturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) Programme\, funded by the Uni ted Kingdom'\;s Foreign\, Commonwealth and Development Office and has benefited from collaboration with the Ocean Economy programme.  \n<\;p& gt\;Over 40 officials\, including members of national parliaments and poli cymakers from seven East African Community (EAC) member countries met for a two-day event in Nairobi to discuss the negative effects of single-use p lastics materials and explore ways to achieve a single-use plastic-free Ea st Africa. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Africa Leg al Network\, the FlipFlopi Project\, the ICCF Group\, the SMEP Programme\, and UNCTAD. Key issues discussed included how national laws and experienc e can help build a regional harmonized policy in East Africa for reducing single-use plastics\, material alternatives and substitutes\, plastic trad e\, and regional approaches to tackling plastic pollution. A draft bill pr oposing regulations on unnecessary single-use plastic items and molecules was also discussed. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Members of parl iament of East African Countries\, including representatives from the East African Assembly\, are considering harmonizing national legislation on th e manufacture\, sale\, and importation of certain non-essential single-use plastic items that are detrimental to the environment and livelihoods\, e specially those that cannot be recycled\, and are easily substitutable.&am p\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Participants were unanimous in their a greement to take a regional approach and committed to taking collective ac tion to ensure all East Africans can thrive and be part of a sustainable t ransition to a more circular economy and a healthier environment. &\;nb sp\;<\;/p>\;\n<\;img alt="\;Hon. Rebecca Okwaci\, Member of Parl iament\, South Sudan"\; class="\;img-responsive"\; data-align= "\;center"\; data-caption="\;Hon. Rebecca Okwaci\, Member of P arliament\, South Sudan"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-en tity-uuid="\;931cbf22-4b55-4ae5-80d5-6c54a009fcce"\; src="\;/s ites/default/files/inline-images/1S3A9984.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;Ho n. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci\, a member of Parliament from South Sudan\, highl ighted the need to benefit from alternative materials such as jute\, sisal or agricultural residues\, which can promote innovations based on traditi onal knowledge. Hon. Françoise Uwumukiza\, member of the East African Leg islative Assembly (EALA) from Rwanda shared the success of Rwanda'\;s comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics. &\;nbsp\;Ac cording to Ms. Uwumukiza\, Rwanda started examining plastic pollution prob lems back in 2003\, with comprehensive legislation to phase out single-use plastics being adopted in 2019. Trade plays an important role\, as many p lastics came to Rwanda through formal or informal imports. &\;nbsp\;The key for Rwanda'\;s success in reducing plastic pollution was the stro ng enforcement of the single use plastic ban\, and public awareness of the benefits of a clean environment. &\;nbsp\;Today\, Kigali is known as A frica’s cleanest city\, she mentioned. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n<\;im g alt="\;"\; class="\;img-responsive"\; data-caption=" \;Mr. Mamo Boru Mamo\, Director General\, Kenya National Environmental Man agement Authority (NEMA)"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-e ntity-uuid="\;e9070e39-076c-46c2-9f1a-4052a826a64f"\; src="\;/ sites/default/files/inline-images/_DSC7546.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;T he Director of Kenya'\;s environmental management authority (NEMA)\, M r. Mamo Boru Mamo stressed the importance of national environmental manage ment agencies in monitoring and policing policies on single-use plastics i n East Africa. He mentioned that it is important legislators and environme ntal management agencies across East Africa collaborate to develop\, imple ment\, and constantly improve regulations on single-use plastics. &\;nb sp\;He also mentioned the experiences from the region can be building bloc ks for the international instrument against plastic pollution being negoti ated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) under the United Nations.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;All MPs present agreed on the need for legislation on SUPs at a regional level\, rather than at the national level. They explored proposing a SUP EAC law as a council bill at the EALA level and in parallel at country level as private bills by MPs\, which would lead to discussions among country bodies. UNCTAD facilitated discussions on plastic substitutes\, an important area for reducing plasti cs use\, which provides significant social and environmental opportunities . &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The workshop provided stronger Af rican voices and practical experiences into multilateral processes at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and at the World Trade Organ ization dialogue on plastics\, where EAC countries are members. &\;nbsp \;<\;/p>\;\n<\;img alt="\;"\; class="\;img-responsive&qu ot\; data-align="\;center"\; data-caption="\;Event participant s.&\;amp\;nbsp\;"\; data-entity-type="\;file"\; data-entity -uuid="\;26523097-36a9-4a82-8c7a-e458dac8f1a7"\; src="\;/sites /default/files/inline-images/_DSC7121.JPG"\; />\;\n<\;p>\;This a ctivity was part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollut ion (SMEP)&\;nbsp\;Programme\, funded by the United Kingdom'\;s For eign\, Commonwealth and Development Office and has benefited from collabor ation with the Ocean Economy programme. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;\n\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/node/40818 DTSTAMP:20260710T163335Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR