The Flipflopi dhow en-route to Stone Town in Zanzibar from Lamu creating awareness on the fight against pollution was received in Mombasa on Tuesday, January 29.
Receiving the organisers of the expedition at the Mombasa Public Beach, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Principal Secretary Ali Noor Ismail thanked them for their creative innovation, saying the arrival of the Flipflopi will highlight policy-measures that the Government of Kenya is undertaking in the fight against plastic pollution.
The PS said most plastics do not biodegrade but they instead slowly break down into smaller fragments known as micro-plastics and when plastic breaks down, it becomes more difficult to remove from the ocean.
The event which attracted environmental and maritime stakeholders, was also graced by the Principal Secretary for Maritime Nancy Karigithu, the UN Environment Director and Regional Representative for Africa Dr. Juiet Biao Dr. Biao said that "at least 8 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year, harming plants, animals, coastal communities and entering our food chain."
She added that UN Environment was working together with the Mombasa county government to finalise their waste management strategy and closing the former Kibarani dumpsite, which feeds into the Mombasa harbour.
"Waste management is one of UN Environment’s top priorities in Africa, and the organization is working together with countries to share best practices on how to implement better waste management strategies across the continent," said Biao.
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