ABOUT African Clean Cities Platform

African Clean Cities Platform (ACCP) is a knowledge sharing and investment promotion platform to achieve waste related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 in rapidly urbanizing Africa.

ACCP was established in 2017 in Maputo, Mozambique, by representatives from 24 African countries together with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the City of Yokohama, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). As of December 2021, 90 cities and 42 countries have become members of ACCP and various activities in the below listed action areas have been carried out since its establishment.

  • ・MISSIONBy 2030, African countries realize clean and healthy cities and achieve the Sustainable Developing Goals (SDGs) on waste management
  • ・VISIONTo provide an open platform to support African countries and cities to find their own measures and solutions for sound waste management and the achievement of SDGs

The urban population in Africa is increasing at a faster rate than any other continent (3.5% per annum).

Although waste generation is currently lower in Africa than in the developed world, Sub-Saharan Africa is forecast to become the dominant region globally in terms of total waste generation if current generation trends persist.

The urbanisation rate in Africa is 3.5%, the highest in the world
Waste generation expected to almost triple by 2050 in Sub-Saharan Africa
Estimated and projected world population by region

Total MSW generation by region

Waste generation in Africa, like in other developing regions in the world, is driven by population growth, rapid urbanization, a growing middle class, changing consumption habits and production patterns, and global waste trade and trafficking.

However, in many African countries, waste management policy is given a low priority. As a result, local governments lack budgets, competent staff, equipment, and facilities, leaving them with insufficient operation and management capabilities. Compared to Asian cities, sustainable generation of funding for maintaining hygiene in cities is difficult in African countries, in which average incomes are relatively low.

Action Areas

Knowledge sharing and networking

ACCP Assemblies are organized to share knowledge and experiences every 3 years in conjunction with TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development)

Promoting the achievement of waste SDGs targets

Capacity development and training programmes are provided for ACCP members to achieve waste-related SDG targets, as well as online knowledge sharing and learning

Supporting project development in waste management

Using Waste Wise Cities Tool as a central data collection tool, ACCP supports member cities to develop tangible projects on the ground

Maputo Declaration

Participants from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the City of Yokohama, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) met in Maputo, Mozambique, from 25 to 27 April 2017 to share Mozambican knowledge and experience on waste management, and, in relation to the African Clean Cities Platform Preparatory Meeting, to consider a declaration on the establishment of the Platform for the promotion of networking in Africa.

Yokohama Action Guidance

The African countries and cities joining the African Clean Cities Platform (ACCP), the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the City of Yokohama, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the organizations that support the ACCP’s vision gathered at the ACCP’s Second General Meeting in Yokohama, Japan from August 26 to 27. Taking note of the Maputo Declaration, which was adopted at the ACCP Preparatory Meeting in April 2017, and the Rabat Declaration, which was adopted at the ACCP First General Meeting in June 2018, they agreed to strengthen the ACCP Secretariat function, improving waste collection and transportation system, and monitor progress towards achieving the SDGs.

Tunis Action Guidance

Learning from knowledge sharing and networking is a critical way for cities in Africa to inspire action to improve solid waste management. In 2022, the year of TICAD 8, was expected to observe the third ACCP Assembly hosted by Tunis, capturing the outcomes of activities laid out in Yokohama Action Guidance as well as agreeing the ACCP activities in coming three years. In order to avoid any risks of COVID-19, the third ACCP Assembly held online. During the Assembly, an outcome document “Tunis Action Guidance” which determines the activities to be carried out in the coming three years under ACCP, will be adopted and endorsed by the participating ACCP members.