8th Cities Forum Highlights Circular Economy as Key to Sustainable Urban Growth

Addis Ababa, March 10, 2026 (ENA)—Ethiopia's Environmental Protection Authority Director General, Lelise Neme stressed that implementing a circular economy is critical to ensuring sustainable development, achieving national and continental development goals, and building resilient and clean cities.

She made the remarks at the opening of the 8th International Forum on Cities and Circular Economy, which has brought together policymakers, experts, and development partners to address the growing solid waste challenge in rapidly urbanizing cities.

A three-day forum, attended by participants from 15 African countries, aims to explore effective waste management solutions and promote experience sharing among member states.

Studies indicate that solid waste generation in Sub-Saharan African cities is rising at an alarming rate, creating increasingly complex environmental and urban management challenges.

In 2016, cities in the region generated 174 million tons of solid waste, a figure projected to reach 522 million tons by 2050 if effective measures are not implemented.

The Forum on Cities and Solid Waste Circular Economy was established as a collaborative platform to tackle these challenges by promoting innovative solutions, strengthening partnerships, and advancing sustainable waste management practices.

Speaking at the opening session, Lelise Neme emphasized that the forum provides an important platform to discuss environmental policy, sustainable development, and the future of cities.

She noted that the Ethiopian government is pursuing ambitious environmental and development goals through initiatives such as the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the Ten-Year National Development Plan, and the National Circular Economy Roadmap, launched during the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year.

“For Ethiopia, the circular economy is not a distant aspiration; it is an essential pathway for achieving sustainable development, building resilient cities, and advancing both national and continental development goals,” she said.

According to her, these frameworks aim to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation through key measures such as strengthening sustainable waste management and recycling systems, including plastics, batteries, and electronic waste.

They also focus on promoting eco-industrial parks and extended producer responsibility systems, accelerating the transition to clean energy and green transport, and supporting green entrepreneurship, particularly among youth and women.

Also addressing the forum, Fanta Dejene, State Minister of Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure, warned that rapid urbanization is generating large volumes of waste that could pose serious threats to human health, the environment, infrastructure, and natural resources if not properly managed.

He noted that the ministry is working to ensure sustainable urban growth by integrating strategies aimed at transforming solid waste into valuable economic resources.

The Ambassador of India to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, highlighted India’s experience in waste recycling and green job creation. He reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting member states through technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives.

Meanwhile, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), stressed that implementing a circular economy requires strong public awareness, particularly in waste segregation at the source, alongside coordinated efforts among governments, institutions, and communities.

During the forum, the Addis Ababa City Cleansing Management Agency shared its best practices in waste recycling, riverside development initiatives, and the ongoing Corridor Development Project in Addis Ababa.

The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Environmental Protection Authority and the Centre for Science and Environment, aimed at strengthening cooperation on circular economy initiatives and sustainable waste management.