Circular economy emerges as continent’s climate delivery engine at Africa Climate Summit 2

At “Delivering Africa’s Circular Economy Agenda: From Roadmaps to Continental Action”, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Moses Vilakati lit up the room. Describing the Action Plan as “a stage for a green, inclusive and resilient future, and a chance for Africa to lead the global circular economy while tackling climate change head-on,” he turned it into a rallying cry. The stakes landed with force: a pathway promising USD 546 billion in market opportunities and 11 million jobs by 2030. What electrified the room was not only the scale of the figures but the shift in narrative with climate ambition recast as industrial strategy, trade advantage and a bold claim to sovereignty.

Momentum is already visible and the side event went beyond showcasing progress: it cemented a direction. Rwanda’s early roadmap showed what circular economy can unlock when policy and innovation align. Around the summit, Chad and Ethiopia launched theirs, while Benin and Cameroon prepared to join, signalling that circularity is becoming part of Africa’s economic rhythm. With the AU Action Plan in place, circularity is starting to shape how Africa grows, competes and positions itself in a resource-constrained world.

The dialogue carried a sense of solidarity beyond Africa. From Europe, Finland’s Ambassador Sinikka Antila spoke from experience, recalling how her country’s first circular economy roadmap pushed industries to rewire value chains and seize new ground. “We’ve seen how circularity can drive systemic change,” she said. “And Africa holds advantages: scale, youth, and the urgency to leap ahead.” Picking up the thread, UNEP’s Dr. Margaret Oduk grounded the discussion in Africa’s realities: “Circularity is a lever to cut emissions, regenerate ecosystems, and build economies where work is green, fair, and rooted in dignity.”

Stories shared during the session put faces to the transformation. In Rwanda, young innovators supported by the Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Centre are turning discarded plastics into eco-bricks sturdy enough to build classrooms, giving waste a second life as infrastructure. In Ethiopia, the Environmental Protection Authority is directing climate finance into solar mini-grids that bring light and opportunity to communities once off the grid. But amid the optimism, the realities of entrepreneurs broke through. “We can innovate and respond to demand,” said Gabriella Sirak of agritech firm Lersha, pre “but what we lack are the pathways to grow beyond pilots.”

The side event also showed how Africa is turning this bottleneck into opportunity through a growing circular economy architecture. The African Circular Economy Alliance, hosted by the Bank, gives governments a platform to align reforms and advance joint projects. The Bank’s Africa Circular Economy Facility channels catalytic finance into roadmaps and innovation pipelines, structuring risk so ideas can move beyond pilots. At the Africa Climate Summit2, this architecture came to life: the National Circular Economy Roadmap programme is currently opened to more countries and the deadline for applications extended to accelerate Africa’s transition to circular economy.

Dr. Matthias Naab Director, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa, captured the spirit of the day: “Africa’s journey toward a circular economy is no longer a distant vision, it is happening now. The Continental Circular Economy Action Plan is our shared blueprint for transformation, rooted in the realities of our nations and the aspirations of our people. Its success depends on bold partnerships, local innovation, and the leadership of our youth and women. Together, we can create an inclusive economy built on resource circularity, to advance an African-led sustainable development, in Africa”.

And from the African Development Bank, Dr. Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth gave the architecture its clearest articulation:“Africa has the vision, through the African Union’s Action Plan. It has the national roadmaps that translate this vision into practical steps. And it has the platforms — through ACEA and ACEF — that can connect these efforts and mobilize the resources required to scale them.”

With COP30 in Brazil on the horizon, discussion at the side event left no doubt: Africa is stepping forward as a contributor of solutions through circular economy. The challenge now is sustaining alignment between national reforms and continental frameworks, between entrepreneurs and investors, between ambition and delivery.