Maputo, Nov. 20, 2024 (Lusa) - The international climate fund Mitigation Action Facility (MAF) has donated €18.6 million to Mozambique's government's initiative to build sustainable waste treatment infrastructure in the country, the government announced on Wednesday.

"The ValoRE Initiative is receiving initial support from the Mitigation Action Facility totalling €18.6 million," the Ministry of Land and Environment said in a statement.

This is a circular economy programme created in August 2020 as a presidential initiative, which aims to build sustainable waste treatment infrastructure in all the country's provinces.

According to the ministry, Mozambique has made progress with the programme and received special recognition for the progress made on the agenda at an event on the sidelines of COP29 - the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was attended by MAF director Soeren David.

"The country was praised for the recent adoption of the Environmental Packaging Levy, which is part of the broader regulatory framework of extended producer responsibility," explains the organisation.

Soeren David reiterated that, "the Environmental Packaging Levy will be key to strengthening recycling and promoting a more circular economy."

The "ValoRE" programme is being implemented through a partnership between Mozambique's Ministry of Land and Environment and the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel).

LYCE/ADB // ADB.

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