More than 2,000 participants, both in-person and online from across five continents, gathered for the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2022) in Kigali, Rwanda from 6-8 December 2022. The international event was hosted for the first time in the Global South to seek viable pathways to transition toward an inclusive, low-carbon and climate resilient economy while tackling key societal challenges in partnership with African nations and the world at large.

The WCEF2022 discussion, outcomes and key findings resonated that Africa can lead the world towards a new, more resilient economy – the circular economy. With an abundance of natural resources, a young population, strong entrepreneurship, culture and a spirit of collaboration known as Ubuntu, the African continent can offer inspiration and guidance to the world.

The WCEF attracted participants from across Africa and around the world, representing governments, the private sector, NGOs, national and international experts and organisations, local communities, youth, academia, development partners, investors and financial institutions.

The WCEF2022 was organised under the theme “From Africa to the World” and explored major themes, both opportunities and threats, relevant to global development in which circularity will have to play a big role, including climate protection and nature regeneration, youth, infrastructure development, entrepreneurship empowerment and innovation acceleration, as well as fair trade and localised value chains.

The forum identified priority actions to advance and strengthen circular economy tools and action to unlock opportunities, potentials and possibilities for thriving green growth and sustainable economic development in Africa and the world.

The WCEF2022 delegates committed to act with determination and urgency to advance circular economy actions to address the existential threats and environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and global pollution.

We, the participants of the 2022 World Circular Economy Forum:

• Recognising that circular economy policies, strategies and plans are critical to lessen demand for natural resources, raw materials and its related need for new products, and consequently reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the production phase thereby keeping both biological and technical nutrients in circulation for much longer;
• Being cognizant that circular economy policies, strategies and plans may contribute in various ways to halting environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, improving soil health, increasing flood resilience and yield many more circular system conditions that contributes to both climate change mitigation and adaptation;
• Agreeing that a prominent part of global climate action is the just transition which will allow us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
• Acknowledging that greater public and private sector derived blended financing and investments in circular economy action (e.g. in form of public private partnerships) is a key enabler for a just transition to low carbon and climate resilient economies;
• Acknowledging the imperative need for technology, innovation, creativity to shift to a circular economy, fighting climate change, improve agriculture value chain and conserve biodiversity to build carbon zero economy at national and global levels;

In particular, we call for enhanced Pan-African collaboration, cooperation and partnership to advance the circular economy throughout the continent, involving all governance authorities and organisations, consistent with the African Union Agenda 2063 with its goal for inclusive and sustainable development.

Hence we call for:

• African countries to create an enabling environment for circular businesses to thrive in to achieve the societal, economic and environmental benefits of the circular economy for Africa and the world at large.
• Circular economy policies, strategies and plans to be developed to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as halting biodiversity loss.
• Strengthening circular economy policies, strategies and plans to play a major role in Africa’s urbanisation and sustainable infrastructure development agenda.
• Acceleration of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to leverage Africa's role in global value chains and the intra-continental trade.
• Recognising the global nature of value chains partnership and collaboration at national, regional and global levels for policy dialogue, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing as essential for ensuring just transition to a circular economy is global, regional and national where no country is left behind.
• New financing models given that the current capital flows to sustainable business and circular ventures are insufficient to transition to the circular economy.
• Countries and financial institutions to shift capital flows away from linear business models towards the circular economy by promoting sustainable finance strategies and green investments.
• Advancing scalable local technologies and leveraging youth innovation to drive the circular economy in Africa and globally. Scaling up existing circular economy solutions will bring economic and social benefits, while also reducing the negative impact of our economies on the environment.
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African Circular Economy Alliance Call to Action for a Circular Future

With support of WCEF2022 participants

Recognising the important role and opportunities circular economy can play in advancing Africa’s green growth and low carbon pathway, we invite policy makers, businesses, financial institutions, philanthropies, NGOs, multilaterals, as well as the academia and research community to:

• Work with all stakeholders and representatives of WCEF2022 now and in the future to create, plan, innovate, take action, and share the immense triple-bottom line benefits of a circular economy for Africa and the world at large.
• Invite all African countries to become members of the Africa Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) and invite all WCEF2022 stakeholders and representatives to support ACEA to undertake the development, advancement and implementation of circular economy policies, strategies and plans for the sustainable development of African economies.
• Encourage the African Circular Economy Alliance to foster collaboration with other partnerships such as the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE), and other regional networks to strengthen North-South and South-South cooperation.
• Invite all African businesses, individuals, academic institutions and civil society organisations to become members of the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN).
• Invite ACEA, ACEN and all partners in collaboration with World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) to convene African Circular Economy Forum (ACEF) as a strong platform to advance Africa’s circular economy agenda.
• Invite all African countries to remove the barriers that slow the implementation of the AfCFTA and promote a circular economy on the continent.
• To communicate widely the key outcomes and recommendations of the WCEF2022 and call upon all governments and stakeholders to support implementation with a sense of urgency and to work collaboratively and in partnership to monitor implementation.

In conclusion, we recognise and acknowledge the Government of Rwanda for hosting the WCEF, the great support of the World Circular Economy Forum global team and all its partners and everyone who supported to convene the WCEF2022, as well as all participants who contributed to the rich discussions.