By Sifiso Nhlabatsi
MBABANE – The Kingdom of Eswatini has called on the international community to strengthen global cooperation and provide adequate financial and technical support to ensure the success of a legally binding treaty aimed at ending plastic pollution.
Speaking during the closing session of the Informal Heads of Delegation Meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), held in Nairobi, Kenya, from June 29 to July 3, Eswatini’s INC Focal Point and Lead Negotiator, Isaac Gcina Dladla, said the world had reached a defining moment in the fight against plastic pollution and urged countries to remain committed to the ambitious vision that launched the negotiations.
Delivering Eswatini’s official statement, Dladla reflected on the progress made since the first INC meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay, where countries agreed to negotiate a global treaty to address plastic pollution through a comprehensive life-cycle approach.
He said Eswatini was proud of the journey undertaken by member states and paid tribute to the bold vision contained in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 5/14, which challenged nations to move beyond traditional waste management approaches.
Dladla said the resolution recognised that plastic pollution could not be solved through waste collection and disposal alone, but required action throughout the entire life cycle of plastics, from production and design to consumption and disposal.
He noted that the world’s plastic pollution crisis had not emerged because countries lacked waste management policies or legislation. Instead, he said the rapid growth in the production and consumption of cheap and unnecessary single-use plastics, many containing hazardous chemicals and additives, had overwhelmed existing systems and resulted in widespread environmental pollution.
According to Eswatini, addressing the problem requires tackling its root causes rather than relying solely on downstream measures such as recycling and waste management.
Dladla urged countries to embrace the spirit of “Pamoja”—meaning togetherness—by ensuring that ambition is matched with practical support for developing countries.
He stressed that an effective global agreement must be backed by predictable, accessible and adequate financial resources, as well as mechanisms for technology transfer and capacity building to enable all countries to implement their commitments successfully.
Eswatini further reminded delegates that international cooperation has previously delivered significant environmental victories.
Drawing parallels with the successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol, which led to the global phase-out of ozone-depleting substances, Dladla said many had once doubted such an achievement was possible.
However, he said the international community ultimately demonstrated that unity, courage and shared responsibility could overcome even the most complex environmental challenges.
He expressed confidence that the same determination could enable the world to end plastic pollution if countries remained committed to working together.
“As we conclude our work in Nairobi, let Nairobi be remembered not for the differences we carried into this room, but for the determination we carried out of it,” Dladla said.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee is tasked with developing an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including pollution in the marine environment. The negotiations are being conducted under the mandate of the United Nations Environment Assembly and seek to establish a comprehensive global framework for tackling plastic pollution across its entire life cycle.
Eswatini has consistently supported an ambitious global agreement, maintaining that coordinated international action, backed by sufficient resources and technical cooperation, is essential to protecting both people and the environment from the growing threat posed by plastic pollution.
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