SEO Riders:
– African Energy Chamber opposes plastics treaty
– Africa’s petrochemical growth at risk with treaty
– AEC warns treaty could derail energy industrialization in Africa
At the ongoing INC-5.2 negotiations in Geneva—where over 170 nations are discussing a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty—the African Energy Chamber (AEC) has issued a forceful warning. According to the AEC, the treaty’s proposed curbs on single-use plastic production threaten to derail the petrochemical sectors of oil- and gas-rich African nations, undermining industrial growth, energy access, and economic diversification.
AEC’s Key Arguments:
- – Economic Disruption: The AEC argues that limiting plastics would cripple the burgeoning petrochemical industries in countries like Gabon, Ghana, Angola, and Senegal, where future investments in processing and manufacturing are tied to hydrocarbon value addition.
- – National Projects at Risk: Specific development initiatives—such as Gabon’s Cap Lopez LNG terminal, Senegal’s GTA and Sangomar projects, Ghana’s Jomoro petroleum hub, Angola’s Gas Master Plan, and Tanzania’s LB Complex—may lose viability or financing under treaty constraints.
— Development vs. Environmental Agenda: AEC’s Executive Chairman, NJ Ayuk, urges African negotiators to reject the treaty in its current form, describing support for it as “shooting yourselves in the foot.” He emphasizes that while environmental protection is important, it must not overshadow Africa’s immediate industrial, energy, and poverty reduction priorities.
-This stance places AEC squarely against the three pillars of the proposed treaty: production caps, chemical controls, and lifecycle regulation of plastics—elements environmental advocates argue are essential to halt plastic pollution at the source.
