SWITCH Africa Green Regional Meeting

Theme: Advancing Green Business and Circular Economy in Africa

The SWITCH Africa Green Programme held a regional meeting on “Advancing Green Business and Circular Economy in Africa” in Kampala Uganda, 24-25 February 2020. participants attended the regional meeting that gathered senior government officials from over 25 African countries, representatives from the European Union, Regional Economic Communities, Financial Institutions, Academia, United Nations agencies and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The meeting was organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda.

The meeting objectives were:

• To enhance regional efforts to scale up green and circular business approaches, and inspire national level policy making and implementation
• To prepare strategies to harmonize policies for advancing green business and circular economy in Africa

The meeting was opened with remarks from the United Nations Environment Programme, the European Union Delegation to Uganda, Environment Forest Climate change commission of Ethiopia and the National Environment Management Agency (NEMA) on behalf of the host country, Uganda.

The Deputy Director for Africa Office, United Nations Environment Programme, Mr. Frank Turyatunga, started by recalling the beginning of the SWITCH Africa Green journey that began in in 2013 and has continued to gain momentum into the new decade.

Mr. Ioannis Pavlos Evangelidis, Head of Cooperation at European Union Delegation in Uganda, representing the European Union, stated that the European Union has been indefatigable in advancing the sustainable development paradigm. He noted that the new president of the European Commission - Ursula Von Der Leyen identified the European Green Deal as one of 3 key overarching issues to be given priority under her mandate, adding that she wants the European Green Deal to become Europe's hallmark.

The Deputy Commissioner, Environment Forest Climate change commission of Ethiopia Ms. Frenesh Gobena in her remarks noted that Ethiopia has a Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy that is being aligned to all the sectors to ensure a smooth transition to an inclusive green economy for the country. She further observed that SWITCH Africa Green programme is timely as it supports the implementation of the strategy.

Dr. Tom Okurut, the Executive Director of Uganda National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) thanked the European Union and United Nations Environment Programme, for the financial and technical support towards Switching Uganda Green. He also acknowledged NEMA, Ministries, Departments, Agencies and the Civil Society Organisations that constitute the National Technical Coordination Committee (NTCC), Grantees, Beneficiaries and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who have strategically implemented the programme in Uganda.

An overview of the implementation of SWITCH Africa Green Programme in six African countries was given by Patrick Mwesigye, Regional Coordinator, Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production, Africa Office, UNEP.        

Summary of recommendations:

On Green Business Development:

• Design and implement specific support services in the areas of business development, marketing and finance, promote cross-sectoral linkages and value addition/ develop outreach programs that bring support services closer to MSMEs
• Bringing together suppliers and producers with the finance sector (fairs and exhibitions)
• Establish cooperation societies for beneficiaries to access low interest funds
• Capacity building for MSMEs through technical assistance to develop their expertise on preparing bankable proposals and proper book-keeping that facilitate easy access to financing

On Policy support

• Ensure enforcement of existing market regulations and policies
• Mainstreaming sustainability requirements in public procurement
• Include green exports into national and regional trade strategies/policies
• Promote cooperation (including PPPs) among standard setting and certifying bodies to ensure that standards are adapted to the national context while meeting international standards requirements in order to facilitate recognition
• Harmonize regional standards to enhance market accessibility for green products and take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA)
• Promoting reviewing and updating of existing policies and legislative frameworks to incorporate green economy and circular economy principles
• Promote the development of sector guidelines on Circular economy
• Blended financing should be encouraged such as both a grant and loan
• There should be a focus on value addition, tax contribution, employment and environmental impacts
• Governments should prepare green financing policies and strategies
• Incentivize sustainability through reduction of residues, Tax holidays, VAT waivers
• Exploring other green financing instruments such as green insurance bonds, capital venture/markets to raise capital
• There should be a focus on non-collateral securities like debentures, guarantee
• The National Cleaner Production Centres that exist in Africa help in SCP and it is recommended that they are established in each country.

On Networking

• Design and implement a communication campaign (web and social media) to improve the recognition of green standards and certified green businesses among consumers.
• Create a portal to showcase green business opportunities derived from SWITCH Africa Green projects, matchmaking, benchmarking, networking and information sharing.
• Identify opportunities for the creation of new markets through the introduction of circular practices, including through industrial symbiosis
• Identify and promote high potential regional value chains (building on the experiences of current SWITCH Africa Green projects)
• Promote and sustain capacity building programmes and promote circular economy with evidences-based messages and advocacy
• Enhance indigenous knowledge sharing and mainstream education on circular economy at all levels