25 November 2021 – In the context of the UNIDO Ninth Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) convened the side event “Circular economy: leveraging the post-pandemic response to build forward to the future we want”.

During an interactive discussion, a panel of government representatives from Rwanda and Burkina Faso, together with representatives from the African Circular Economy Network  and the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy, explored how to leverage COVID-19 recovery measures to promote and facilitate the transition to a circular economy.

“Managing this transition will not be easy, especially in LDCs that may struggle to access the relevant knowledge and technologies”, said Director General LI Yong in his opening remarks, while recalling that “only an inclusive and just transition will ensure that a shift to circularity reduces and not exacerbates inequalities ”.

This side event builds on the efforts of UNIDO to support Member States in their adoption of circular economy policies, principles and practices, as well as the global consultations on circular economy.

UNIDO will resume the discussion during the side event “From concept to action: circular economy as a driver of structural transformation towards the future we want" at the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries  to be held in Doha, Qatar, from 23 to 27 January 2022.