A Circular Economy Mission to Nigeria which will be organized back to back to the Waste to Wealth Conference and EXPO that the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry will organise between the 27th and the 30lh April 2020.
The European Green Deal underlines that moving towards a circular economy is essential to foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs. Increased resource efficiency and circular economy solutions will improve the competitiveness of companies and create new growth opportunities in green markets domestically and abroad.
In view of the global dimension of environmental problems and solutions, global action will be necessary to achieve the European Green Deal objectives including through measures to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Africa, both as an important producer and consumer ofresources.
The concept of the circular economy is increasingly gaining traction in developing countries and emerging economies. Governments in Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa for instance have launched the African Alliance on Circular Economy in 2017. The outcome of the 2017 Summit of the EU and the African Union (the “Abidjan Declaration”) recognizes the high potential of the circular economy model for sustainable job creation and low emission, climate resilient and sustainable development. The Declaration of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in November 2019 underlined and reinforced African countries’ commitment to promote circular economy approaches in Africa.
The Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs launched by the European Commission in September 2018 highlights the EU’s interest in building a strong partnership and cooperation with Africa on an equal footing and enhancing opportunities for sustainable growth and the creation of local employment through new business models and mutually beneficial trade relations. The Alliance recognises the role of circular economy in relation to job creation, economic integration and trade.
The Political Guidelines for the Commission 2019-2024 include a commitment to develop a comprehensive strategy with Africa focussing on the continent’s potential for investment and business cooperation. The European Green Deal will deepen our strategy on circular economy, which is a model that offers developing countries a way to ‘leapfrog’ to a more sustainable development path avoiding locking in resource and carbon-intensive practices.
Invitation Letter