New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released a new report on best practices in solid waste management (SWM) in Africa at a major conference on January 28, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The seventh meeting of the Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE) organised jointly by CSE and South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is being held from January 28-29.
Delegates from 18 African nations — Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — participated in the event.
The meeting seeks to strengthen South-South cooperation for improving solid waste management in countries of the Global South.
“The GFCCE exemplifies the essence of South-South cooperation by uniting nations under a shared vision to mainstream and integrate circular economy throughout the African continent,” Bernice Swarts, Deputy Minister, DEFE, Government of the Republic of South Africa said while inaugurating the event with CSE Director General, Sunita Narain.
“Circular economy is not just a buzz-word. It is a practice which helps transform waste into wealth. And we in the Global South must take ownership of the idea of circular economy. It has traditionally been ours — we have always had the practice of reuse, reduce and recycle,” Narain was quoted in a statement by CSE.
Since its inception in 2021, the Forum has grown into a community of 22 member states, including 18 African and four Southeast Asian countries. This platform is committed to advancing circular economy principles in line with national policies and priorities. Discussions at this meeting will focus on the Forum’s progress and the development of sustainable implementation models.
Over time, the community has collaboratively developed a common agenda addressing issues such as integration of informal waste pickers, and the implementation of single-use plastic bans. A key objective is to establish a data management system in Africa, inspired by India’s Swachh Survekshan, the world’s largest sanitation survey.
“Indian cities have made extraordinary progress in waste management over the past decade, thanks to the political will and data-driven approach of the Government of India. Through this forum, we aim to share the Indian experience of Swachh Survekshan with other Global South countries,” said Atin Biswas, Programme Director, Municipal Solid Waste and Circular Economy Unit at CSE.
The Forum also facilitates learning and knowledge exchange between countries. For example, the implementation of carry bag bans in East African nations such as Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda has demonstrated that nationwide bans on single-use plastics can be effective. These experiences have been shared with other member states including India to inform development of a strategy for identifying avoidable and problematic single-use plastics and creating a road map for their phase out.
“The Forum’s members are actively participating in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution. While India can learn from East African nations about implementing bans, African countries can benefit from India’s methodology for developing criteria for single-use plastics,” said Siddharth G Singh, Programme Manager, Municipal Solid Waste and Circular Economy Unit, CSE.
The GFCCE has played a pivotal role in fostering knowledge exchange among member states. In 2023, delegates from 18 Global South countries visited Pune, Maharashtra, to learn about integrating the informal sector into waste management systems.
“Through GFCCE, we aim to shape policies that integrate informal waste pickers into formal systems, ensuring a fair and inclusive transition. This is particularly relevant for Africa, where the informal sector plays a significant role in waste management. South Africa alone has an estimated 60,000 to 90,000 informal waste pickers,” said Mou Sengupta, Programme Manager, Municipal Solid Waste and Circular Economy Unit at CSE.
The GFCCE community emphasises that while waste management involves technological challenges, it ultimately revolves around people. A sound waste management system cannot succeed without active public participation.
Through this Forum, CSE has worked closely with member states to address their national waste management priorities. The seventh meeting seeks to reassess these priorities and explore how South-South collaboration can help overcome the challenges of waste management.