Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA), in partnership with the European Union’s Africa Reform for Investment and Sustainable Economies (RISE), has been urged to explore circular economy business practices, which are more resilient and greener in the construction industry.
A circular economy is an economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way.
Speaking at a recently held meeting attended by more than 50 members of the Association and the ZBCA Executive Board, Peter Makwanya, Local Stakeholder Engagement Expert for Zimbabwe said: “The country needs to take practical steps to build a circular economy in line with the African Union Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals and the commitments to reduce carbon emissions expressed in the Paris climate change agreement.”
ZBCA CEO Crispen Tsvarai underscored that his organization is committed to helping the country attain its transition to the circular economy more successfully.
The project was initiated in 2022 when Namibian Construction Industries Federation (CIF) approached the Africa RISE Facility to enquire how such a learning experience on the circular economy could be supported by the Facility.
Similar interest was expressed by Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association and Business Botswana (BB) – Construction Sector & Built Environment.
The SWITCH to Green Facility joined forces and will support, together with SADC Secretariat and the Business Council, with the dissemination and broadening of the learning generated by the project beyond.
The objective of this project is to increase knowledge in the construction sector on ‘circular economy’ opportunities and models that could be implemented by the private sector.
The initial focus and learning generation will come from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe with sharing and wider dissemination planned across SADC member countries through the SADC Secretariat and the SADC Business Council.
