Overview

The African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) will convene its 2026 Annual Meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, bringing together governments, regional institutions, development partners, private sector leaders and entrepreneurs to advance Africa’s circular economy agenda.

Held under the theme “Scaling Africa’s Circular Transition: From Policy to Sector-wide Action,” the meeting will focus on accelerating the shift from policy development to practical implementation across key sectors. It provides a platform for stakeholders to identify priority actions, strengthen partnerships and support the scale-up of circular economy solutions across the continent.

As a strategic partner of ACEA, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) plays a central role in the meeting, contributing technical expertise and strategic guidance to help drive meaningful dialogue and action.

The meeting is supported by partners, including the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)—a joint United Nations initiative bringing together UNDP, UNEP, ILO, UNIDO and UNITAR, which supports countries in transitioning to greener, more inclusive pathways by fostering circularity, promoting green jobs and a just transition, and advancing sustainable finance.

Why ACEA 2026 matters

Over the past decade, African countries have made important progress in advancing circular economy policies and strategies. These efforts have been supported by continental and regional frameworks, including the African Union Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), creating stronger foundations for circularity-driven industrial transformation.

However, challenges remain. Limited access to finance, weak market systems, technology gaps and fragmented implementation continue to slow progress and prevent many circular economy initiatives from reaching scale.

ACEA 2026 responds directly to this challenge by focusing on implementation, investment and collaboration. Discussions will highlight practical solutions and scalable opportunities in priority sectors such as plastics and packaging, electronics, food systems, construction materials and critical raw materials.

UNDP’s role in ACEA 2026

As one of ACEA’s strategic partners, UNDP, including through its engagement in PAGE, plays an important role in supporting the growth of circular economy systems across Africa. Through its work on sustainable development, climate action and green economic transformation, UNDP supports countries to integrate circular economy approaches into national planning, strengthen enabling policies and build the capacity needed for implementation.

UNDP also uses the platform to strengthen partnerships, connect stakeholders and support knowledge exchange between governments, institutions and businesses working to advance circular solutions, including through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).

UNDP takes part in several key sessions during the Annual Meeting, including:

• High-level dialogue on the role of circular economy in advancing sustainable development and economic transformation in Africa
• Technical discussions on knowledge, capacity and ecosystem strengthening as critical enablers for circular economy scale-up
• Thematic exchanges on packaging systems and practical pathways for sector-wide implementation and
• Strategic dialogue on the link between circular economy and climate action, including opportunities to strengthen resilience and support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Strengthening regional collaboration

The ACEA 2026 Annual Meeting creates space for deeper regional collaboration by connecting Member States, regional institutions and strategic partners around shared priorities for circular economy implementation.

A key focus of this year’s Annual Meeting is strengthening cooperation across countries and sectors, including through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, knowledge exchange and the development of regional value chains. The meeting also highlights the role of frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and standards harmonization in creating stronger markets for circular economy solutions.

For UNDP, this provides an opportunity to support more coordinated approaches to circular economy implementation, while strengthening partnerships and promoting practical solutions that can be adapted and scaled across different national contexts.