First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa champions sustainable waste solutions for a Greener Africa, as Zim hosts Iswa conference

NewsBy Nigel PfundeZimbabwe – First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in her capacity as Environment Patron has issued a compelling call to action for Zimbabwe and the entire African continent to embrace sustainable waste management practices.Speaking at the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) Africa Regional Chapter Conference which Zimbabwe is proudly hosting in Harare, Dr Mnangagwa emphasized the critical need for a paradigm shift from traditional waste disposal methods to innovative solutions that foster public health, create employment opportunities and cultivate a greener economy.The conference is being held under the theme “Enhancing Sustainable Waste Management Practices in Circular Economy,” marked a milestone as Zimbabwe hosts this prestigious event for the first time, drawing delegates from across Africa and international participants from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Eswatini, and Ghana showing growing global confidence in Zimbabwe’s commitment to environmental stewardship.During her address, Dr Mnangagwa highlighted the transformative potential of transitioning to a circular economy, asserting that it is not merely an environmental imperative but a powerful catalyst for economic advancement.She stated:“Transitioning to a circular economy is not just an environmental necessity, but it is a catalyst for job creation, particularly for our young and youth women in their pathway to poverty reduction.”She further elaborated on the national commitment to this approach, referencing key policy frameworks:“The National Development Strategy 2 emphasises the transition toward a circular economy as a primary driver for environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.By prioritising the reduce, reuse and recycle hierarchy the framework seeks to move away from the traditional economic model, particularly in the management of solid waste.”The First Lady underscored the urgency of addressing waste generation, noting Zimbabwe’s annual output:“In Zimbabwe, we generate nearly two million tonnes of waste annually.For too long, the traditional linear approach of extracting raw materials, sending them into processed goods and then disposing of them after use has left many cities struggling with unprotected waste and Governments vulnerable to contamination.However, where there is a crisis we see a transformative opportunity.“While commending Zimbabwe’s National Clean-Up Day, observed monthly, The First Lady stressed that sporadic efforts are insufficient. She advocated for daily commitment to cleanliness:“You cannot rely only on the fact that we clean once and at the beginning of every month. As a department of environment, we are saying cleaning is done every day.”She also urged parents, particularly mothers, to instill discipline and cleanliness in children at the household level, linking good home habits to broader societal behavior.

This principle, she noted, is integral to her cultural restoration program, Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba.Dr Mnangagwa called for enhanced regional collaboration to tackle cross-border environmental challenges, emphasizing the interconnectedness of ecological systems.“A river polluted in one country flows through another, the same way smoke from a burning dumpsite affects the air we breathe. Therefore, I call upon each one and all delegates here today to foster greater collaboration. Let us harmonise our policies, share our technologies and support each other.”She challenged delegates to move beyond theoretical discussions and implement scalable solutions:““We must move beyond pilot projects and scale up our solutions.

I urge all stakeholders, including government, industry and academia, to use this conference to develop a roadmap for a cleaner, greener Africa. Let us move from dumpsites to dignity and from waste to wealth.”The First Lady lauded emerging public-private partnerships, citing the Geo Pomona Waste-to-Energy initiative as a testament to Zimbabwe’s proactive stance:“Zimbabwe is no longer just talking about change; we are implementing it.”She further highlighted the significance of such collaborations:“This collaboration reflects an important step towards the professionalism of the waste management sector and the advancement of a more resource-efficient economy. Through knowledge-sharing, technical cooperation and regional engagement, such partnerships strengthen our collective ability to transform waste into opportunity.”The First Lady also praised the efforts of schools and young people trained by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), acknowledging their role in fostering creativity and entrepreneurship through recycling:“I commend these efforts as they show that creativity and entrepreneurship can flourish from materials once deemed useless.”Concluding her remarks, the Environment Patron issued a final rallying cry for a collective vision:“Let us leave this conference with renewed energy and an unshakeable belief that a cleaner, greener and sustainable Africa is possible.”Other speakers at the conference, including Ms.

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Mpendulo Ginindza of the ISWA Africa Regional Chapter, Dr. Dilesh Nguwaya of Geo Pomona Waste Management, and various government ministers, echoed The First Lady.She emphasized waste as an opportunity for innovation, job creation and sustainable development across Africa.Leave a ReplyCancel reply NewsBy Nigel PfundeZimbabwe – First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in her capacity as Environment Patron has issued a compelling call to action for Zimbabwe and the entire African continent to embrace sustainable waste management practices.Speaking at the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) Africa Regional Chapter Conference which Zimbabwe is proudly hosting in Harare, Dr Mnangagwa emphasized the critical need for a paradigm shift from traditional waste disposal methods to innovative solutions that foster public health, create employment opportunities and cultivate a greener economy.The conference is being held under the theme “Enhancing Sustainable Waste Management Practices in Circular Economy,” marked a milestone as Zimbabwe hosts this prestigious event for the first time, drawing delegates from across Africa and international participants from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Eswatini, and Ghana showing growing global confidence in Zimbabwe’s commitment to environmental stewardship.During her address, Dr Mnangagwa highlighted the transformative potential of transitioning to a circular economy, asserting that it is not merely an environmental imperative but a powerful catalyst for economic advancement.She stated:“Transitioning to a circular economy is not just an environmental necessity, but it is a catalyst for job creation, particularly for our young and youth women in their pathway to poverty reduction.”She further elaborated on the national commitment to this approach, referencing key policy frameworks:“The National Development Strategy 2 emphasises the transition toward a circular economy as a primary driver for environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.By prioritising the reduce, reuse and recycle hierarchy the framework seeks to move away from the traditional economic model, particularly in the management of solid waste.”The First Lady underscored the urgency of addressing waste generation, noting Zimbabwe’s annual output:“In Zimbabwe, we generate nearly two million tonnes of waste annually.For too long, the traditional linear approach of extracting raw materials, sending them into processed goods and then disposing of them after use has left many cities struggling with unprotected waste and Governments vulnerable to contamination.However, where there is a crisis we see a transformative opportunity.“While commending Zimbabwe’s National Clean-Up Day, observed monthly, The First Lady stressed that sporadic efforts are insufficient. Dilesh Nguwaya of Geo Pomona Waste Management, and various government ministers, echoed The First Lady.She emphasized waste as an opportunity for innovation, job creation and sustainable development across Africa.

Zimbabwe – First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in her capacity as Environment Patron has issued a compelling call to action for Zimbabwe and the entire African continent to embrace sustainable waste management practices. Speaking at the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) Africa Regional Chapter Conference which Zimbabwe is proudly hosting in Harare, Dr Mnangagwa emphasized the critical need for a paradigm shift from traditional waste disposal methods to innovative solutions that foster public health, create employment opportunities and cultivate a greener economy. The conference is being held under the theme “Enhancing Sustainable Waste Management Practices in Circular Economy,” marked a milestone as Zimbabwe hosts this prestigious event for the first time, drawing delegates from across Africa and international participants from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Eswatini, and Ghana showing growing global confidence in Zimbabwe’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

During her address, Dr Mnangagwa highlighted the transformative potential of transitioning to a circular economy, asserting that it is not merely an environmental imperative but a powerful catalyst for economic advancement. “Transitioning to a circular economy is not just an environmental necessity, but it is a catalyst for job creation, particularly for our young and youth women in their pathway to poverty reduction. ”She further elaborated on the national commitment to this approach, referencing key policy frameworks:“ The National Development Strategy 2 emphasises the transition toward a circular economy as a primary driver for environmental sustainability and resource efficiency. ”The First Lady underscored the urgency of addressing waste generation, noting Zimbabwe’s annual output:“

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