Stockholm+50, Sweden | 1 June 2022

● Distinguished guests
● Ladies and gentlemen
It is my pleasure to join you today to discuss how we can finance plastic circularity
and the innovation needed in development finance to achieve this.
Plastic pollution is a global issue and it is getting worse by the day. A recent OECD
report on Improving Plastics Management indicated that plastic pollution may
quadruple by 2050.
This huge Increase is not only causing us harm, but it is also stifling innovation and
leading to a lack of affordable and durable alternatives.
The situation calls for urgent action.
In Rwanda, our journey to address plastic pollution began in 2008 with a law banning
plastic bags.
The move was welcomed by Rwandans who saw the direct benefits to their health
and the environment - proving it’s possible to develop and implement such a policy.
This experience led us to ban single use plastics in 2019 with a phased
implementation plan.
Through this plan, the government has partnered with the Private Sector Federation
on an Extended Producer Responsibility model through sustainable plastic
manufacturing and management, single-use plastic collection and recycling and
supporting businesses in Rwanda to meet environmental standards. Much of these
activities will be funded through a levy on single-use plastic imports into the country,
and we expect the levy to attract greater private sector investments in alternatives.
However, we know that we cannot address plastic pollution alone. That is why
Rwanda worked with Peru to draft a resolution to create an international legally
binding treaty to end plastic, which was adopted in March at UNEA 5.2.

The treaty will cover the sustainable design, production and consumption of plastics.
It will also take into account resource efficiency and circular economy approaches to
downscale virgin plastic production.
I am confident that an ambitious treaty will spur new private sector investment in
alternatives and create a vibrant circular economy for plastics.
I encourage all Member States to engage with the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee so we can conclude on the treaty in the next two years. We don’t have a
minute to lose to clean up our oceans, rivers and lands.
Thank you for your kind attention.