International negotiations on a binding treaty to combat plastic pollution resume this Tuesday, August 5, in Geneva, amid high expectations, particularly among African countries. Following the failure of the December 2024 session, marked by stalemates over ambition levels and producer responsibility, discussions are now aiming for a global agreement by the end of 2025, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme.

With 430 million tons of plastic produced each year worldwide, nearly two-thirds of which ends up as waste, the issue goes far beyond the environmental. It's a systemic challenge that affects ecosystems, local economies, and public health. Africa, although a low-emissions country on a global scale, is bearing the brunt of the consequences. River pollution, agricultural soil degradation, and waste management infrastructure saturation.

Several countries on the continent are calling for an ambitious text accompanied by financing and technology transfer mechanisms. Senegal, in particular, is advocating an approach focused on extended producer responsibility and the reduction of single-use plastics at source, without limiting itself to recycling. The issue of cross-border trade in plastic waste, often shipped from Europe or Asia to Africa, is also expected to be a central focus of discussions.

But negotiations remain tense. Some major powers, supported by the petrochemical industry, are holding back any measures deemed too restrictive. For Africa, the issue is not simply legal or diplomatic. It is about defending its right to a healthy environment and gaining recognition for its role in a future system of global governance for plastics.

In Geneva, it is also a battle of fairness that is being played out.