The SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa Program (SWITCH-2-CE) is co-financed by the European Union and jointly implemented by Expertise France (EF) and GIZ. The program aims to foster an inclusive transition to a circular economy in the East and Southern Africa region through policy frameworks, workers and SMEs participation, and improved financing mechanisms for CE businesses. The activities will contribute to mitigation of climate change by promoting green and circular business models. The foreseen capacity development and strengthening of the regulatory and policy framework aim to contribute to the East and Southern Africa (ESA) countries efforts to meet their obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is the regional political partner of the project.

The program is structured around three main outcomes, with the two priority value chains: “packaging/plastics waste” and “electronics/e-waste”.

The program aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Outcome 1: To establish an enabling policy framework for circular economy across the ESA region;
• Outcome 2: To enhance the participation of formal and informal workers and SMEs, including women and youth, in circular economy models;
• Outcome 3: To improve access to and use of financing by circular economy businesses

Expertise France is responsible for implementing activities under Outcome 1, jointly with GIZ. Outcome 1 will mainly involve policymaking support activities at the macro-level, with a focus on regional/supranational knowledge management, awareness raising and policy dialogue to create a common vision on circular economy among the target countries.

EF is also responsible for implementing activities under Specific Objective 3, jointly with GIZ, to improve access to financing for circular economy businesses, through the implementation of a financial assistance and capacity-building program. The Action will establish a regional matching grant facility designed to reduce investment risks in early-stage CE firms or business models, from the very beginning of business development to joint ventures. Indeed, this scheme will operate through multiple funding windows, targeting early-stage and growth-stage investments in CE technologies, products, and services for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and regional CE firms seeking partnerships within ESA or with European companies. Therefore, Expertise France’s activities will be focused on the first stages of business development, i.e. incubation and acceleration phases, while GIZ’s activities, in the continuum, will seek to support projects in their “investment readiness”, working tangentially with financial sector actors such as VC’s and impact funds with the ultimate objective of facilitating joint ventures. The Special Objective 3 also includes technical assistance to financial institutions and capacity building activities to Business Development Services providers supporting circular economy businesses in the two targeted value chains.