by World Bank

The first phase of the Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP-P1) has been approved by the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The continent-wide effort aims to eliminate the stockpiles of obsolete pesticides, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), in Africa. The programme will also help countries prevent future build-ups.

"The Africa Stockpiles Programme is an unprecedented partnership," said Ian Johnson, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, "between African countries, donor governments, civil society, and multilateral organizations - all of whom have agreed to cooperate in this comprehensive effort to eliminate the accumulation of obsolete pesticides. This partnership addresses a serious and growing public health and environmental danger which confronts nearly every country in Africa."

On September 8th, two GEF grants - $1.7 million to South Africa and $4.0 million to Tunisia - were announced by the World Bank in its capacity as an implementing agency for the GEF. These two grants are part of a total $25 million contribution from the GEF for the first phase of the programme.

The other funders to the overall $60 million programme include the African Development Bank, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization, Finland, France, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the World Bank Development Grant Facility.

The World Bank has global experience in coordinating complex, multi-country and regional programs, including managing trust funds that mobilize the resources of multiple donors for a shared purpose. The Bank will administer the majority of funds supporting the programme. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will serve as the lead agent in delivering technical advice and support to countries involved.

"GEF is proud to be a partner in the Africa Stockpiles Programme. This effort is critical to the health of all Africans and the integrity of the continent's environment," said Len Good, GEF Chairman and CEO. "This programme is part of GEF's strategy to help countries reduce and eliminate releases of dangerous toxic chemicals and develop safe alternatives."

Virtually every country in Africa has stockpiles of obsolete pesticides that have accumulated over the past several decades. Many of these chemicals and their containers are in poor condition, threatening local and regional environments and human health through contamination of soil, water, air, and food.

"The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has worked for over a decade to raise global awareness to the critical and worsening situation created by obsolete pesticide stockpiles in developing countries, particularly in Africa," said Mark Davis, Coordinator of the FAO Obsolete Pesticides Programme. "Funds have been secured and action taken to deal with obsolete pesticides through FAO programmes in several African countries, including Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Zambia. Acting alone, FAO was never going to overcome the problem in Africa or elsewhere on the globe. With the ASP now in place, the existence of a dedicated fund, with a multi-partner and multi-country focus, provides a much firmer foundation for cleaning up and destroying the stockpiles, and helping to prevent future accumulation."

The ASP was initiated with strong country support by WWF and Pesticide Action Network in late 2000. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to tackle pesticide pollution through the clean-up and disposal of over 50,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticide waste stockpiled across the 53-country African continent. The first phase of 4 years will be implemented through a strategic partnership focusing on seven African countries: Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, and South Africa.

"The World Bank Board's approval of the Africa Stockpiles Programme is a big step forward," said Clifton Curtis, Director of WWF's Global Toxics Programme, "opening the door to on-the-ground cleanup and destruction of obsolete pesticide stockpiles in seven African countries initially and help in preventing future accumulations in Nigeria and several other countries. The ASP partners have been talking and planning for the start up of the operational program for nearly 5 years. It is exciting to know that major cleanup and destruction of stockpiles will now begin in earnest, contributing to improved public health, poverty reduction, and environmental safety - critical elements of sustainable development."

The ASP partnership also encourages strong involvement and expertise from the private sector. "CropLife International is proud to be part of the ASP," said Christian Verschueren, Director General of CropLife International. "The plant science industry has unique experience and expertise in dealing with the removal of obsolete pesticide stocks. We share the vision and objectives engrained in the ASP and are committed to participating in the achievement of its important goals."

"PAN UK and PAN Africa are delighted that the Africa Stockpiles Programme has been given the final go-ahead," said Eloise Touni, PAN UK's ASP Coordinator. "NGO groups throughout the continent - among the over 700 members of the international PAN - have been expressing concern about obsolete pesticides since the early days of ASP planning, and have repeatedly confirmed their commitment to positive action. NGO networks have been, or are being, established in all seven first phase countries, ready to support their national projects - particularly in helping to ensure that stockpiles do not reappear."

Approximately 8 other countries are candidates for preparatory and prevention activities as the ASP moves toward a 2nd operational phase in 3 - 4 years, chosen from the following high priority countries: Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Swaziland.

Current ASP partners include:

The African Development Bank, the African Union, Belgium, Canada, CropLife International, Denmark, the European Union, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), France, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Japan, The Netherlands, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Norway, the Pesticides Action Network-Africa (PAN-Africa), the Pesticides Action Network-UK (PAN-UK), Secretariat of the Basel Convention, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Switzerland, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Wide Fund for Nature/WWF.

The Africa Stockpiles Programme is managed by the Rural Development, Water and Environmental Group in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MNSRE) at the World Bank.