KEPSA represented by the Chair of Environment Water and Natural Resources Sector Board Ms. Emily Waita, participated in the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) for a legally binding instrument that addresses plastic pollution that took place in Paris, France, from 29 May to 2 June 2023 at UNESCO headquarters.

The Kenyan delegation also included; Ambassador Hellen Gichuhi, Ambassador of Kenya to France, Mamo B. Mamo, Dr Ayub Macharia, Ministry of Environment & Climate Change, Thuo Kinyua, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Griffins Ochieng’, Executive Director CEJAD. 

For several years, plastic pollution has been a major issue raised at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) and other global fora. On 2 March 2022, 175 countries participating in UNEA-5.2 got together and adopted the resolution 5/14 End plastic pollution. This historic resolution mandated the UNEP Executive Director to convene an International Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop and adopt a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics. This landmark decision thus launched the process towards a global plastics treaty, which should be developed by the end of 2024. It is a historic step towards protecting wildlife, the environment, and humans from the harmful effects of plastic pollution. 

Representatives from more than 180 UN Member States and 600 observer organisations gathered in Paris for the second negotiation meeting. The treaty negotiations sought to:

1) Propose binding global measures to ban, reduce, safely circulate and manage specific high-risk plastics;

2) Prioritize plastics with high pollution risks, including product groups, applications, chemicals and polymers of concern;

3) Specify high-risk plastics suitable for immediate global bans and phase-outs, in particular single-use, short-lived plastic products;

4) Call for effective implementation measures, including technical and financial assistance, technology transfers and capacity strengthening; paying special attention to the needs of least developed countries and small island developing states;and

5) Order the preparation and publication of the treaty’s first draft (“zero draft”), that includes these specific proposals, before INC-

At the end of the meeting, there was agreement to proceed on a zero draft with substantive discussions confirmed to take place in Kenya 🇰🇪 during INC3 in November 2023. This will be a great opportunity to leverage Kenya & Africa's voice in the negotiations.

Attached please find the Africa Statement presented at the INC- Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee