Arua city, through the Global Cities Fund (GCF) for Migrants and Refugees, has launched a one-year inclusive climate action project dubbed: Arua Goes Green and Recycles. 

The project, which aims at strengthening the capacity of the city to sustainably manage plastic waste and remote institutional greening while employing migrants and refugees in Arua’s green transition, is under the Mayor's Migration Council (MMC).

MMC is a mayor-led advisory and advocacy organisation that helps cities shape national and international policy on migration and displacement.

Arua city was among the five cities in Africa that benefited from the $200,000 (about shillings 740 million) MMC project alongside Monrovia in Liberia, Accra in Ghana, Johannesburg in South Africa and Beira in Mozambique.

Jobile Cornelius, the acting city clerk Arua

While highlighting the rationale and scope for the green and recycle project during the inception meeting in Arua City on Friday, Mary Dawaru, the senior environment officer in Arua city and the project lead, said the project aims to increase vegetation in 40 public spaces and properties including schools and health facilities.

It also plans to plant over 10,000 trees and to establish Arua’s first city plastic waste recycling plant, which is expected to employ both migrants, refuges and long-standing Ugandan residents of Arua City.

Arua deputy city clerk Jobile Cornelius said he is happy that the city is one of the five cities benefitting from the project and added that there is a need for an inclusive approach towards climate change action to ensure mitigation of climate change impact and that for Arua. The focus is expected to be on bins and waste management and ensure that waste becomes wealth in the city.

“In this projects, migrants and refugees play a crucial role meaning that any project undertaken requires the inclusion of migrants. So, let us keep in mind how we can co-exist and ensure orderly migrations in the city," Jobile said.

Arua city health Inspector Godfrey Apangu said waste management should not only be the responsibility of the local government authority, but rather a collective responsibility where the waste generator is a key actor.

He said the solid waste generation in the city is largely organic and dependent on the seasons of the year and that the concern is how to strengthen recovery at the earlier stage to reduce the contamination of the recyclable materials.

“There is no recycling taking place in Arua and through this project, there is a reason to start generating income from the plastic and recoverable wastes in the city. This challenge has been compounded by the lack of reliable electricity in the region that can attract recycling companies,” Apangu said.

Mary Dawaru, the senior environment officer Arua City and the project lead

Arua city co-ordinator South Sudanese Refugees Association Gabriel Batali said he is going to mobilise his people to fully participate in the inclusive climate change project and greening since this particular project is geared towards improving their livelihood in the city.