Activities

The second general meeting of the African Clean Cities Platform (ACCP) was held in Yokohama in August 2019, in conjunction with TICAD 7 (the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development). More than 450 people attended the main conference held on August 26-27, including 38 African countries, representatives of development partners, the private sector, and Japanese municipalities, and had an intensive discussion on the theme of "Sustainable Waste Management Towards a Clean and Resilient City.“

On the first day, after the opening session, Japanese and international waste management companies presented their business applications in Africa. Afterward, the Guidebook for Environmental Education on Solid Waste Management in Africa was launched and good practices of environmental education and public awareness activities in Africa and Japan were shared. In addition, the Basics of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Africa, the guide that aims to provide a brief overview and basic knowledge on municipal solid waste for practitioners, was also distributed among the participants.

The second day opened with part of the data book launch session on  Africa Solid Waste Management Data Book 2019, including the presentation of case studies and a discussion on waste management in developing countries. In the afternoon, the mobilization of funds and measures to raise policy priorities for improved SWM were addressed by development partners associated with intensive Q&A.

To conclude the two-day meeting, H.E. Mr. Yoshiaki Harada, Minister of Environment of Japan, the co-organizing organizations, and representatives of African countries made statements to promote the activities of the ACCP. At the end of the closing session, the “Yokohama Action Guidance for the ACCP” It stipulates the future direction and concrete activities such as expanding the network through the participation of development partners and other stakeholders, strengthening the ACCP secretariat function in Africa with UN-Habitat taking the lead role, providing opportunities for capacity building and knowledge co-creation, etc. As a result, the Yokohama Declaration and Yokohama Action Plan, which are TICAD7 deliverables, reaffirmed the need to address environmental issues, including improved waste management.

During the meeting, a special knowledge-sharing session on waste management for African participants (25), a workshop on Sustainable Development Goal indicators (28), a field visit to waste management facilities in Yokohama (29), and an exhibition of environmental picture books drawn by African children were also organized. This intensive program provided participants with practical, useful, and inspiring knowledge, albeit in a short period of time.