Kenya is pushing for stronger global commitments in the fight against plastic pollution, according to a statement shared by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry.
The ministry said Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Kenya Mission in Geneva, where she engaged with the Kenyan delegation participating in the ongoing fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2). The meeting seeks to finalize “a global legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution across its entire life cycle,” reads part of the statement
Briefing on Negotiations
The CS was received by Environment Secretary Dr. Selly Kimosop, who provided “a detailed update on developments within the contact groups where substantive negotiations are underway.” The briefing, according to the statement, covered Kenya’s active role in shaping provisions aligned with national environmental priorities and the Africa Group of Negotiators’ shared positions.
The ministry said discussions underscored Kenya’s leadership in combating plastic pollution, citing “the successful nationwide ban on single-use plastics, which has significantly reduced plastic waste in key ecosystems such as beaches, parks, and conservation areas.”
Proposal to Host INC Secretariat
The statement further noted that Kenya has proposed to strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme by hosting the INC Secretariat in Nairobi. Dr. Barasa is quoted saying this would “reinforce UNEP’s role as the world’s leading environmental authority, enhance its institutional capacity, and provide a stronger platform for supporting member states in implementing the treaty.”
Call for Unity and Ambition
The CS also “emphasized the need for coherence in Kenya’s negotiating positions and strategic engagement with other delegations” and urged the team to “maintain strong alliances that would help secure a fair, science-based, and ambitious treaty.”
Reaffirming Kenya’s commitment, the statement said Dr. Barasa stressed that the agreement must “promote circular economy solutions” and “provide resources for technology transfer, capacity building, and financing.”
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