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From Africa to the World: Landmark Event Presents Circular Economy Solutions for Green Growth, Climate and Biodiversity

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Landmark Event

The WCEF2022 will challenge many shortcomings and destructive consequences of the predominant wasteful linear economy and introduce the concepts and opportunities of the circular economy

KIGALI, Rwanda, November 29, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The 6th World Circular Economy Forum WCEF2022 (www.WCEF2022.com) will take place 6–8 December in Kigali, Rwanda. This year’s forum will focus on how the circular economy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support climate change adaptation, safeguard biodiversity and bring benefits to our societies.

One of the world’s leading circular economy events, originating in Finland, WCEF2022 will bring together business leaders, policymakers and experts from Africa and around the world to present circular economy solutions and examine how businesses can seize new opportunities. An online briefing for the media will take place on the eve of the Forum, 5 December 2022.

For the first time on African soil, the World Circular Economy Forum will be a platform for Africa and the world to share lessons to shape more resilient and greener economies.

The WCEF2022 will challenge many shortcomings and destructive consequences of the predominant wasteful linear economy and introduce the concepts and opportunities of the circular economy. Politicians, policymakers, business-leaders, journalists, researchers and the public will learn about the many benefits of circularity.

“As a founding member of the African Circular Economy Alliance we are very pleased to host the World Circular Economy Forum in Rwanda. This is the first time the event is taking place in Africa,” says Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya. “The circular economy represents the single greatest opportunity to supercharge green growth and job creation in Africa, and we look forward to sharing Rwanda’s experience and learning from others.”

The WCEF2022 will address a wide range of challenges in the transition from a linear to a more resilient and resource-efficient circular economy including trade, value chains, policy and technology. Circular economy actors and start-ups from the continent will present their business models and share their stories, particularly looking at opportunities for collaboration, growth, job creation and development.

“Transitioning to a circular economy is a way to make our economies wiser, resilient and future-proof”, says Jyrki Katainen, President of Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. “These past years’ tragedies have shown that we are not resilient. The impacts of the pandemic, shifts in the global security environment, energy and food security are exacerbated by a fossil fuel dependent, wasteful and unfair linear economy. Now, we need to challenge the old model and build a new one, fit for today and for the centuries to come – the circular economy. Many solutions are already right in front of us, and we look forward to learning more about circular solutions from Africa in Kigali.”

The circular economy is an alternative to the traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible, maximum value is extracted from them whilst in use, then materials are recovered and products are reused at the end of their life.

Diverse and home-grown African circular solutions: from agriculture and waste management to the built environment

Under the theme From Africa to the World, the WCEF2022 will present a wide range of circular solutions from Africa and globally for different industries and sectors, with a particular emphasis on harnessing the opportunities to improve livelihoods and end poverty, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change and safeguard biodiversity. Some examples include:

  • Regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions that help to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change.
  • A scalable, affordable and sustainable built environment that is based on repurposing, renovation and the use of secondary raw materials.
  • Different circular policies and practices in water management, transport, infrastructure and food security in Africa’s rapidly growing megacities.

In the transition from a linear to a circular economy waste management and recycling are key components and need to be improved and scaled rapidly. Africa already imports vast amounts of electronic and other waste, and with a rapidly growing population, will produce more waste. Circular economy approaches provide solutions for reducing waste by investing into modular product design, reduced packaging, life cycle extensions and product-as-a-service business models where using a product does not require ownership.    

Transitioning to a circular economy is a way to make our economies wiser, resilient and future-proof

Overcoming the challenges of circularity: policies and finance

Africa’s vast natural resources and its young and entrepreneurial population can help it play a lead role in driving the circular economy transition and its contribution to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, two main challenges will need to be overcome: legislation and finance.

First, many existing laws and regulations need to change to allow for more circularity. That is why WCEF2022 will facilitate policy dialogues and knowledge sharing as a circular economy transition requires lawmakers, governments and others to inspire and learn from each other.

Secondly, new financing models for circular businesses are urgently needed. The current capital flows into sustainable businesses and circular ventures are far too low. Circular economy companies need to develop bankable businesses that attract venture capitalists willing to take a risk. Development banks and other institutions can de-risk such investments with grant financing and technical assistance.

These reforms require debate and innovation, which WCEF2022 will help provide.

“ACEN is delighted to be co-hosting WCEF2022 as we showcase to the world how circular principles are being applied across Africa. We are looking forward to engaging with delegates to accelerate the transition to a just and inclusive circular economy across the continent,” says Peter Desmond, Co-Founder of the African Circular Economy Network ACEN.

WCEF2022 everywhere: online participation and local live studios in Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Rwanda

While the main event will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, stakeholders across Africa will be able to participate in parallel local events. At the WCEF2022 African Studios in Yaoundé, Lagos, Cape Town and Lusaka, participants will tackle specific national and regional challenges related to the shift from a linear to a circular economy. A fifth Studio in Rwanda will reinforce the main Forum in Kigali. In addition, Global Studios will be held in select locations around the globe.

The WCEF2022 Studios will live-stream the main forum’s content, discuss its relevance at a national level and give local experts the opportunity to meet and discuss face-to-face. The WCEF2022 African Studios are organised by ACEN, one of the Forum’s co-hosts.

To ensure easy participation from anywhere around the world, WCEF2022 will livestream all seven sessions of the main forum on 6–7 December free of charge to all registered participants. In addition, WCEF partners will organise more than 25 Accelerator Sessions on 8 December – outcome-oriented events that link WCEF with real action – in Kigali and Africa or online.

The Forum’s agenda is live at www.WCEF2022.com and anyone can register to follow all live-streamed sessions free of charge. Please note that the partner-led Accelerator Sessions require a separate registration.

Online briefing on 5 December

Want to learn more? Representatives of the co-hosts will share their thoughts and answer questions in an online press briefing on the eve of the forum, on 5 December at 15:00 (CAT/EET) / 12:00 (GMT). The briefing will take place on Microsoft Teams.

The speakers of the briefing include:

  • Ntobeko Boyana, Executive and South African Chapter Lead, ACEN
  • Kari Herlevi, Head of Global collaboration unit for sustainability solutions, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
  • Representative from the Ministry of Environment, Rwanda

Attendees are required to register for the briefing by 2 December 16:00 (CAT/EET) / 14:00 (GMT) via www.WCEF2022.com. Registered attendees will be provided with the link to join the Microsoft Teams meeting.

To follow the main forum, interested parties should apply for accreditation at www.WCEF2022.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Circular Economy Forum

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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3 days ago

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June 26, 2026

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Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Development Bank Group and La Francophonie Sign Partnership Agreement to Promote Youth Employment in Francophone Africa

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June 26, 2026

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The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France

PARIS, France, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday entered a strategic partnership to strengthen digital skills, employability, and entrepreneurship of young people and women in five African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France. The agreement will address a major challenge faced by countries in the Francophone world and across Africa: providing young people with access to opportunities offered by the digital economy and fostering the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The partnership calls for the implementation of training programs in digital professions and entrepreneurship, in fields such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Participants will also receive guidance toward employment and self-employment, as well as support for innovation and business creation, notably through training camps, prototyping activities, and partnerships with incubators and accelerators.

The African Development Bank Group and OIF will also work with national authorities in these five countries and training institutions to sustainably strengthen local capacities and promote ownership of the programs by national stakeholders. An initial pilot phase, lasting 12 to 24 months, will be rolled out in the five partner countries, followed by a gradual expansion to other member states depending on the results achieved.

The African Development Bank Group is pursuing a bold agenda based on “Four Cardinal Points” developed by Dr Ould Tah, the third of which is ‘Turning Demographics into a Dividend.’ This is about strategically converting Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population into a decisive engine of inclusive growth, productivity, and innovation through large-scale investment in human capital—particularly youth and women.

 

It sees Africa’s growing young population not as a risk, but as a major asset. With the right policies and investments, this potential can create jobs, help small businesses grow, bring more informal businesses into the formal economy, and equip young people with the skills needed for the future. By investing more in education, science and technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, finance, and digital tools, Africa can help its people drive economic transformation, stay competitive, and build lasting, resilient growth.

The OIF said the agreement marked the first concrete step in its initiative to mobilize innovative and additional funding for its most impactful projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Paddles up! Hong Kong marks 50 Years of international dragon boat thrills

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June 26, 2026

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 June 2026 – With top teams from around the world gearing up for the hotly contested Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races this weekend (June 27-28), participants and spectators can expect a bumper programme of action, fun and entertainment along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui – one of the city’s most vibrant districts known for its iconic skyline views and tourist attractions.

There is much to celebrate. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races as well as 35th anniversary of both the co-organiser, Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, and the sanctioning body, International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The IDBF added to the occasion by announcing earlier this year the relocation of its headquarters back to Hong Kong.

Riding on the wave of excitement, the organiser, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), extended the annual Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival period to 13 days (June 19 – July 1), beginning on the historic Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) and concluding on July 1, which is the 29th anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

As the headline international flagship event of “Hong Kong Summer Fun”, Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of the HKTB, said the Festival not only ran over a longer period, but also featured a stronger race line-up and more vibrant entertainment programmes than in previous years, offering an experience found only in Hong Kong for locals and visitors, while showcasing Hong Kong’s position as the Events Capital of Asia.

More than 220 teams from 16 countries and regions will compete for top honours in the world‑renowned setting of Victoria Harbour. This year’s event also introduces the special 50th Anniversary Fishermen Invitational Cup and the 50th Anniversary Championship, paying tribute to the traditional spirit of dragon boat racing.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a series of thematic activities along the Avenue of Stars, including a 22-metre traditional wooden dragon boat, a dragon boat-themed installation in collaboration with the new film Minions & Monsters, live music performances and a line-up of intangible cultural heritage performances, including martial art Wing Chun, Chinese juggling diabolo, traditional musical instruments ruan and guzheng.

Highlighting Hong Kong’s reputation as the birthplace of modern international dragon boat racing, as well as its strengths as a global hub city, the IDBF has taken a significant step in its long‑term global strategy with the formal incorporation of International Dragon Boat Federation Limited in Hong Kong on 29 April 2026.

“Incorporation in Hong Kong is not a conclusion, but a beginning. It anchors our Federation in the city where our international story started and strengthens our ability to serve our members and the global dragon boat family,” said Claudio Schermi, President of the IDBF.

As part of this new chapter, the IDBF has applied for funding under “the Pilot Scheme to Strengthen the Presence of Hong Kong in Asian and International Sports Associations”, which was recently introduced by the HKSAR Government’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. The Pilot Scheme is an initiative designed to support Asian and international sports associations establishing their headquarters or regional headquarters in the city.

The Dragon Boat Festival has a long and colourful history dating back more than two thousand years. Held each year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the day commemorates the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

According to legend, Qu committed suicide for his beliefs by throwing himself into the Luo River. The villagers nearby raced out on their dragon boats, banging gongs and drums to scare away fish and other underwater creatures to stop them from eating Qu’s body. The tradition continues to this day, with dragon boat competitions taking place at locations across Hong Kong, each reflecting the unique characteristics of its neighbourhood.

Traditional dragon boat treats feature prominently during the festival, notably zongzi. These glutinous rice dumplings, traditionally wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed or boiled, are widely available during the festive period.

 

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