[Press Release] World Environment Day, 5 June, was observed in Asmara at the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers Hall under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
In his keynote address, Mr Tesfay Gebreselasie, Minister of Land, Water and Environment, expressed the significance of integrated efforts of the public, the world and Governments in avoiding the erroneous use of plastic material that are causing adverse effects on the environment as well as on humans.
Minister Tesfay also called on every Eritrean, as well as Government and public institutions, to refrain from buying and frequenting the use of plastic material as well as throwing them all over the place. Noting the adverse effect on the health of the public and animals, the Government of Eritrea issued a proclamation in 2002 to ban the use of plastic particles; Minister Tesfay said that due to entering the plastic material into the country across borders the expected success could not yet be registered.
At the occasion, Ms Aster Redaezghi, head of Environmental Management and Supervision at the Ministry, gave a briefing on plastic pollution and its solution.
On his part, Mr Vincent Omuga, Acting Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator, noted that plastic pollution had become one of the greatest global challenges and commended the decisive measure that Eritrea is taking to ban and restrict the use of plastic. Ms Nashida Sattar, Acting Representative of the UNDP in Eritrea, also said that about 22% of the causes of diseases are directly linked to environmental factors. At the event, financial awards were provided to winners of the general knowledge competitions and six women who contributed to controlling environmental pollution.