What We Have Done Since Publishing “East Africa: Let’s Unite for Change!”?
Plastic pollution is a global problem
Given the release of the report and the drafting of the single-use plastic bill, we must ask ourselves “what is the next step?”
How can we move them from our screens to something that is alive and how can we support their implementation?
Anjarwalla and Khanna ALN have been a long standing partner and supporter of the Flipflopi Project since our inception. Through months of collaboration and hard-work, ALN have collaborated in drafting the Single-Use Plastics Bill, a legislation aimed at strengthening laws at a regional level to ban certain single-use plastics for adoption by the East Africa Legislative Assembly which is currently being circulated to various stakeholders across the region for their consideration. Additionally, the Flipflopi launched a petition that has already gathered over 14,000 signatures calling for a regional ban of unnecessary single use plastics.
The Flipflopi remains a movement of like-minded people and organisations that commit to tackling plastic pollution through a full systems approach. While we have had several social media campaigns as part of our advocacy for fighting plastic pollution, the main way that we have advocated has been by participating in major events which aim to educate different stakeholders about how they can play a part in the global plastic fight and promote the East Africa draft Bill.
Thanks to the leadership of ALN and having representatives of the Senior Management team as part of the Advisory Board for Flipflopi as well as all the technical support from the ALN Legal team, we are confident that we can not only envision regional harmonisations but also a continental movement to bring an end to single-use plastics across Africa.
The article below is courtesy of the ALN team to highlight some of the key activities we have undertaken over the last few months and what’s next…
South African Delegation Meeting, April 2022
Anjarwalla & Khanna hosted a delegation to discuss a briefing on a comprehensive report, produced by ALN Kenya together with The Flipflopi Project, on a proposed bill that lays the groundwork for the adoption of streamlined legislation and collaborative action to combat single-use plastics within the East African Community (EAC).
The delegation, hosted in Kenya by the International Conservation Caucus Foundations and the Wilderness Foundation Africa, consisted of Members of Parliament from the Portfolio Committee on Environment of the South African Government.
During this discussion, the co-founder of the Flipflopi Project, Dipesh Pabari, was able to present to the committee members what the Flipflopi Project stands for and also their partnership with ALN.
Discussions revolved around particular challenges, successes, and synergies between the EAC and Southern Africa towards combating plastic pollution through innovative and community-based approaches, inspiring local solutions for a global issue.
Africities Conference, May 2022
In late May 2022, one of Anjarwalla & Khanna’s Principal Associates, Huldah Ateka, spoke at the Africities Conference in Kisumu City alongside Flipflopi’s Head of Recycling, Morris Kilonzo. Africities is a Pan-African conference that is convened by the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-A) which brings together the leadership of cities, sub-national governments, and their associations to work on improving the standards of living for African citizens.
Speaking alongside panelists from the Agence Française de Dévelopement, Biogas International Limited, and other organisations, Huldah spoke about the legal framework for waste management in Kenya and other selected African countries, including our partnership with The Flipflopi Project, and the work we have achieved with them during the span of our partnership.
Her in-depth presentation covered topics ranging from legislative frameworks already in place in Africa and the importance of putting legislation in place to fight SUP pollution globally. Furthermore, Huldah also managed to speak about what ALN is doing to fight plastic pollution and our future commitment, including creating awareness, supporting the approval of the Bill we drafted, and our continued legal support to the Flipflopi Project.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), June 2022
The CHOGM conference in June 2022, in Akagera, Rwanda, is aimed at bringing together Commonwealth Leaders, including MPs from the United Kingdom, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and more, to reaffirm their common values and agree on actions and policies to improve the lives of all their citizens.
Advocacy invariably takes place in a dynamic environment. The policy terrain can change for social, political, or economic reasons that are independent of the advocacy initiative underway.
Anjarwalla & Khanna Managing Partner, Rosa Nduati-Mutero and Principal Associate, Huldah Ateka attended this conference in Rwanda. Speaking on a wide range of topics, such as the relationship different countries have with Single-Use Plastics (SUPs), ALN’s partnership with the Flipflopi Project and ICCF, and more. By presenting, Rosa and Huldah were able to inform our key stakeholders what we are doing, and how they can also combat single-use plastic pollution in their respective countries, and help pass the Single-Use Plastic Bill, presented to them.
Advocacy invariably takes place in a dynamic environment. The policy terrain can change for social, political, or economic reasons that are independent of the advocacy initiative underway. As such, for example, Kenya political elections have diluted the effectiveness of advocacy strategies and initiatives in Kenya and moved our attention to other countries in East Africa which can succeed in the promotion of single plastic regulation. Thus, providing an example of concrete actions in preparation to COP27 where Africa green recovery, financing and investing will be one of the focuses of discussion given that.
We have also learned that the ability to react quickly and flexibly, to spot windows of opportunity, and to anticipate new challenges is essential for the success of an advocacy campaign. It requires close monitoring of the policy context and of broader trends.
““Increasing policy frameworks that support more conscious economies while promoting a just transition – in which policies stimulate economic opportunities relating to single-use plastics alternatives; protect livelihoods; and ensure inclusive representation in the policy-making process – is critical. Now is the time for East Africa to build on the momentum of member states, and the UN treaty, raise the bar in the EAC, draw lessons and best practices from around the world, and come together to outline bold and inspired measures that benefit the health, wellness, and livelihoods of all East Africans,””
Watch the video by SIB-K about the Flipflopi for more: