ADDIS-ABABA, Aug 19 – Eight African countries will develop or implement circular economy roadmaps under a programme supported by the Africa Circular Economy Facility, managed by the African Development Bank Group.
Angola, Liberia, Madagascar and Senegal will develop national roadmaps by identifying priority sectors, coordinating government efforts and creating strategies suited to their economies. Benin, Chad, Ethiopia and Mauritius will move into the implementation stage, turning existing plans into policies, funded programmes and stronger institutions.
Anthony Nyong, Director of the Climate Change and Green Growth Department at the African Development Bank Group, said Africa faces an annual development financing gap of more than $400 billion. He said circular economy roadmaps could help countries strengthen local production and turn their priorities into investment opportunities.
Much of Africa’s natural resources are exported without being processed locally, limiting industrial growth and job creation. The circular economy approach aims to keep more resources and their value within African economies.
The programme supports the African Development Bank Group’s wider focus on job creation, business growth and local value creation. It also aligns with the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points strategic vision and the New African Financial Architecture for Development, which aims to mobilise more African capital and strengthen financial markets.
The first group, made up of Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Ethiopia, has identified sectors where circular economy solutions could create value, including agriculture, construction, forestry, plastics, textiles, manufacturing, energy and water management.
In Chad, the roadmap targets more than 25,000 green jobs and a 40% reduction in non-recycled waste by 2035. Benin’s Circular Economy Action Plan also targets a 25% recycling rate, full collection of municipal waste and the creation of 300 circular economy businesses over 10 years.
Through the Africa Circular Economy Facility, the African Development Bank Group is providing technical support to help countries move from circular economy plans to practical action.
