In Accra, from September 16 to 17, 2024, as part of the implementation of the regional environmental policy, ECOWAS organized a regional consultative workshop on the draft regional action plan on plastics management and the circular economy. The event was supported by the Program for Blue Economy (PROBLUE), a multi-donor umbrella Trust Fund administered by the World Bank.
The workshop brought together representatives of Member States from the Ministries of Environment and Finance, the Private Sector, Civil Society, the Black Forest Solutions Consultancy Office, the World Bank, and the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions. The ECOWAS delegation was led by Yao Bernard KOFFI, Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources.
The objective of this meeting was to identify priority actions to combat plastic pollution in the ECOWAS region by promoting sustainable economic practices. The Action Plan will be used by ECOWAS Member States, regional institutions, and development partners such as the World Bank to address plastic pollution in the region. Plastic products have been pervasive in daily life for more than three decades; their inappropriate management leads to environmental problems as well as health issues for humans and animals. Plastic pollution is now a global challenge that mobilizes international efforts.
In recent years, ECOWAS member states have taken several measures to combat plastic pollution through regulatory texts. However, implementation has seen mixed success. This concern has been escalated to ECOWAS for proposing sustainable solutions due to transboundary impacts of plastic pollution.
In his opening speech, Mr. KOFFI recalled regional regulation C/REG.17/12/23 on harmonizing regulations on plastic products and rational management of plastic waste adopted in December 2023. He stressed that managing plastics requires national, regional, and global actions due to transboundary pollution dimensions. He encouraged participants to review proposed actions for finalizing the draft regional plan on plastics management and circular economy.
World Bank Acting Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone Michelle Keane stated that beyond country-level efforts, "the World Bank supports harmonized regional solutions to combat plastic pollution at scale." She noted that with an upcoming global legally binding instrument on Plastics Pollution, "the World Bank is dedicated to supporting ECOWAS in developing a Regional Action Plan on Plastics Management and Circular Economy," ensuring West Africa's preparedness for Treaty requirements concerning common rivers and oceans.
“Our support includes advocating for crucial policy reforms to create market incentives to value plastics,” said Ms. Keane. “It also encourages significant capital investments from both private and public sectors and promotes research and development for upstream investments such as alternative materials to plastic.”
As a reminder, in March 2022 during UNEA-5 (United Nations Environment Assembly), a historic resolution aimed at negotiating a global treaty against plastic pollution by end of 2024 was adopted.
According to a recent World Bank report, although West Africa's per capita ratio of plastic waste is almost one-tenth that of OECD countries and one-twentieth that of the United States', it is estimated that Africa could become the largest contributor globally to poorly managed plastic waste by 2060 with a current share contributing 7.8% after Asia in oceanic plastic pollution via rivers.
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