Ezulwini – Eswatini has secured a E100 million investment from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to combat the country’s growing crisis of plastic, healthcare, and electronic waste.
The five-year project, launching in 2025 and running until 2030, was announced on World Environment Day during a high-level event at the Royal Villas in Ezulwini. The Prime Minister, His Excellency Russell Mmiso Dlamini, was represented by Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Appollo Maphalala.
The initiative, titled “Reduced Risks to Human Health and the Environment through Reduction of POPs and U-POPs in Eswatini,” will be led by the Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The project is timely. Eswatini currently burns nearly half of its waste in the open, releasing harmful pollutants into the air, while only 17% of waste is officially collected. Plastic alone accounts for over 17% of the country’s total waste.
Minister Maphalala called the initiative a major milestone, noting that the funding would scale up existing climate action efforts. He said, “This support will reinforce our ongoing UN-backed programmes and push us closer to a cleaner, safer Eswatini.”
UNDP Resident Representative Henrik Franklin described the project as a tangible step towards sustainable waste management, rooted in community solutions. “This is not just a symbolic gesture for World Environment Day. It is a commitment to long-term impact, driven by Eswatini’s communities, businesses, and institutions,” he said.
The programme includes:
- Household-level plastic sorting and collection in at least two regions;
- Non-burn healthcare waste treatment to replace incineration;
- Mercury phase-out in the health sector;
- Support for youth- and women-led recycling businesses;
- A national e-waste take-back scheme; and
- Policy reforms to ensure enforcement and sustainability.
Delegates from SADC, civil society, government ministries, and youth groups attended the event.
Tourism and Environmental Affairs Minister Hon. Jane Mkhonta-Simelane, represented by Hon. Sikhumbuzo Dlamini, warned of the dangers of plastic pollution infiltrating food and water supplies. She outlined government measures such as the Phatsa Sakho Nawe campaign, plastic bag regulation enforcement, and plans to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies.
UN Resident Coordinator George Wachira applauded youth engagement through the recent Mock Parliament and Youth Declaration. “This generation is taking ownership of its future. That declaration will find its way to SADC and beyond,” he said.
EEA Board Chairperson, represented by Dr. Sicelo Sacolo, described the economic and health costs of pollution as unsustainable. “Microplastics are already entering our food chains, and the cleanup burden is overwhelming our systems.”
SADC’s Cliff Chivanga praised Eswatini’s leadership on initiating talks around banning single-use plastics. “This is how regional change begins—when one country steps forward with political will,” he said.
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