SWITCH to Circular Economy in Eastern and Southern Africa

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-11 11:11

EU-funded program implemented by Expertise France supporting transition to circular economy in Eastern and Southern Africa, including waste management, recycling value chains, and plastic pollution reduction.

Source: https://expertisefrance.fr/en/projects/switch-circular-economy-eastern-and-southern-africa

Funding Details

Funder

Expertise France (implemented on behalf of European Union & German State / GIZ)

Funding Goal

Support an inclusive transition to circular economy in Eastern and Southern Africa through policy frameworks, MSME capacity building, and a Matching Grant Facility targeting plastics/packaging and e-waste value chains.

Funding Amount

€42.15 million total program budget; individual Matching Grant Facility award sizes not specified on the program page

Deadline

Rolling (program active April 2025 – July 2029; Matching Grant Facility calls expected throughout program lifecycle) (Rolling)

How to Apply

No direct application process described on the program page. Interested businesses and organizations should monitor Expertise France and GIZ channels for Matching Grant Facility call announcements. Technical assistance is delivered through Business Development Service (BDS) providers within the program ecosystem.

Target Region

Eastern and Southern Africa (South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia)

Contact

Expertise France, 40 boulevard de Port-Royal, 75005 Paris, France. No program-specific contact email or phone listed on the page.

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:21

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be an SME, startup, or circular economy business operating in one of the 14 target countries (South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia)
• Organization must operate in the plastics/packaging or e-waste value chains — the two priority sectors of the Matching Grant Facility
• Women-led and youth-led enterprises, as well as informal waste workers transitioning to formal roles, are priority target groups

Project Scope

• Funded activities must contribute to circular economy transition: waste reduction, reuse, repair, remanufacturing, or recycling
• Technical assistance recipients must demonstrate potential to improve business model viability and investment readiness for scaling

Required Documents

• Prepare documentation on business model, current growth stage, and investment plan to apply for Matching Grant Facility support

Constraints

• Geographic scope strictly limited to Eastern and Southern Africa — activities outside the 14 target countries are not covered
• Policy support activities are channeled through regional policymakers (primarily COMESA) — direct policy advocacy by non-regional NGOs is not a primary mechanism

Summary

SWITCH-2-CE is a €42.15 million EU and German government-funded program implemented by Expertise France in partnership with GIZ, running from April 2025 to July 2029 across 14 Eastern and Southern African countries. The program addresses the structural barriers preventing circular economy solutions from scaling in the region — specifically in plastics/packaging and e-waste value chains. The program operates across three interconnected pillars: (1) establishing enabling policy frameworks at national and regional levels (particularly with COMESA); (2) training and upskilling SMEs, informal workers, women, and youth in circular economy models; and (3) improving access to finance and technical support for circular businesses at all growth stages. A key feature is the **Matching Grant Facility**, which provides financial support to circular businesses from startup phase through to scaling, combined with technical assistance to improve business models and investment readiness. The program also works with Business Development Service (BDS) providers and financial institutions to build an enabling ecosystem for circular economy financing. The program is motivated by alarming projections: without intervention, Africa's plastic waste could double by 2040, while uncontrolled e-waste handling continues to cause pollution and health risks. With Africa's rapidly growing urban population, circular economy transitions in plastics and e-waste represent both an environmental imperative and a significant economic opportunity.

Historical Context

Program published May 2025, launched April 1, 2025. No prior rounds identified — this appears to be a new program with no predecessor. Two factsheets published February 2026 suggest active knowledge production phase is underway.

Why it was added

GIZ/bilateral waste capacity building

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