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National E-waste Data and Statistics Workshop in Namibia

Date: 24th May 2021 - 26th May 2021
Facilitators: Iattoni Giulia, McDonald, Rosie
Tags: Namibia

Intro:

Within the context of the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), ITU and SCYCLE are supporting Namibia in developing a national e-waste quantification assessment. In 2019, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) of Namibia requested assistance from ITU for the development of a national e-waste management policy. Policy validation and implementation plans are currently ongoing, but the policy work also needs to be supported by reliable data.

Description:

Quantifying the e-waste generated in Namibia will be a fundamental step in ensuring both a proper understanding of the issue at the national level and that policies and guidelines are effectively implemented. With this purpose, ITU and SCYCLE coordinated a workshop in May 2021 on e-waste data and statistics for Namibia, which aimed to build national capacity in e-waste statistics principles and core indicators and, as well, improving the quality, understanding, collection, and interpretation of e-waste data. The workshop brought together several different stakeholders involved in the e-waste sector to enhance cooperation and collaboration at the national level. The work conducted during and following the workshop will lay the foundation for continuously monitoring e-waste generation in Namibia, efficiently setting national targets, and ensuring integration of e-waste data in the policy cycle. The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, which was trained in a GESP workshop in 2018 and which will offer its experience through direct evidence of how the work on e-waste statistics can be implemented within a country and how it can improve the policy development to manage the sector. On January 17, 2021, a meeting to kick off the activities on e-waste data and statistics took place with the participation of delegates from primary, relevant authorities in Namibia – including the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the Namibia Statistics Agency, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, the Ministry of Finance, Customs and Excise, the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, the Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism, and the City of Windhoek. The contribution of all stakeholders involved in the sector will be essential in helping Namibia apply its newly acquired lessons and insights from training on e-waste data and statistics, and the collaboration will help Namibia deal with increased quantities of e-waste in the years to come.