With the continuous development of globalization, green development and environmental issues have attracted worldwide attention. In late 2019, the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) undertook a small United Nations demonstration project – the Senegal Integrated Urban Waste Management Project, and completed the Research Report on Senegal’s Sanitation Industry.
To further discuss medium- and long-term solutions for the collection, transfer, transportation and landfill of solid waste in Africa, the Council recently organized the China-Africa Green Development – Symposium on Integrated Urban Waste Management in Senegal. The event brought together stakeholders from five sectors: government agencies, financial institutions, experts and scholars, industry associations, and enterprises. Through information exchange and solution discussion, the symposium contributed intellectual strength to addressing the “difficulties” and “pain points” of the “last mile” of waste management in Africa.
The symposium was held in a hybrid online and offline format. Distinguished guests attended from the Embassy of Senegal in China, the Project for the Promotion of Integrated Management and the Economy of Solid Waste in Senegal (PROMOGED), the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Centre, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the China-Africa Development Fund, the China-Africa Production Capacity Cooperation Fund, the China Environment Chamber of Commerce, Nankai University, as well as environmental enterprises including Yingfeng Environment, Beijing No.27 Locomotive, Meixinda Group, and Zoomlion Environment.
At the meeting, H.E. Mamadou Ndiyae, Ambassador of Senegal to China, delivered a video speech, welcoming Chinese enterprises to invest in Senegal and expressing expectations for the realization of high-quality and innovative projects.
Wang Yujuan, Deputy Director and Expert of the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, representing the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Centre, stated that China is ready to actively engage and share experience with African countries in building clean and zero-waste cities, including the integrated treatment and management of urban solid waste, so as to contribute Chinese strength and wisdom to advancing China-Africa environmental cooperation.
Mbicine SARR, Head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of the Project for the Promotion of Integrated Management and the Economy of Solid Waste in Senegal (PROMOGED), introduced the project status and progress, and analyzed the current situation, opportunities and challenges of Senegal’s sanitation industry.
Prior to the expert panel discussion, Bai Xiaofeng, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the China-Africa Business Council, briefly introduced the UN-implemented project. Li Xuewei, Director of the South-South Cooperation Department, shared the details of the Research Report on Senegal’s Sanitation Industry. Seynabou Diouf, expert in economics and environment from the School of Environment and Engineering at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (online), supplemented the shortcomings of waste recycling and management in Senegal and provided investment suggestions.
During the expert discussion session, Dr. Li Yao, Chief Investment Officer for Asia of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), introduced the current global status of solid waste management and proposed to gradually promote industrial development by integrating four elements: technological advancement, policy guidance, enterprise participation, and financing support.
Liu Ying, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Environment Chamber of Commerce, proposed a “point-to-area” model, expanding investment gradually through the demonstration effect of typical projects.
In addition, representatives from the China-Africa Development Fund, the Production Capacity Cooperation Fund, Shanghai Faheng International Trade (a Senegalese enterprise in China), Nankai University, Meixinda Group, Beijing No.27 Locomotive, Zoomlion Heavy Industry and other institutions shared insights from the perspectives of financial institutions, experts and entrepreneurs. They introduced current Chinese solid waste treatment technologies, Cambodia’s solid waste projects, and Senegal’s industrial sludge and sewage treatment projects.
Finally, Hui Honglin, expert from the World Bank Group at the International Finance Corporation, delivered a concluding speech. He noted that the project is innovative, pioneering and demonstrative, and recommended phased implementation to guide more Chinese enterprises to participate.
