Making a Splash: Beach Clean-Up in Tanzania

Today, the UN in Tanzania partnered with City Clean Tanzania and the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner’s Office to raise awareness on the importance of keeping our oceans and water sources clean. The initiative brought together UN staff, development partners, and members of the local community to clean-up Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam to promote responsible waste management and preservation of natural resources. The beach clean-up also promoted cooperation and teambuilding, while raising public awareness on the impact of plastic and other forms of waste on our oceans and the role that each of us can play in addressing this global issue. The clean-up is also an advocacy initiative under the Planet outcome of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2027.

The Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Hon. Amos G. Makalla, participated in the clean-up and commended the UN and partners for organizing the event which he said serves as a reminder that we all have a responsibility to keep the beach, and the rest of Dar es Salaam, clean. He emphasized that his office has been coordinating a campaign to keep Tanzania’s commercial capital clean and welcomed the participation of the UN and other organisations in this campaign which will continue in Kinondoni towards the end of February and will also take place in other Dar es Salaam districts throughout 2023.

UN agencies, funds and programmes that participated in the event included the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, FAO, ILO, UNCDF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOPS and WHO. UNESCO Representative, Mr. Michel Toto, represented the UN family at the event. Speaking on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, Mr. Zlatan Milisic, the UNESCO representative called for a strong stance stand against the pollution of oceans and water sources and called on stakeholders to make a commitment to creating a more sustainable future.

Mr. Toto further pointed out that sustainable livelihoods and a clean environment go hand in hand. "By promoting responsible waste management and preserving our natural resources, we are creating a brighter future for all. Over 500 million people depend on the ocean as a vital source of nourishment. In Tanzania, the ocean is the very basis of the blue economy that supports livelihoods across the country," he said.

This call to action highlights the UN’s commitment to keeping our oceans clean and promoting sustainable livelihoods for communities that depend on water sources for their social and economic well-being. This ties in directly to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, which seeks to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

This initiative is also part of the UN ActNow campaign, which was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in 2018, has been a catalyst for similar movements in Tanzania and across the globe. The campaign has gained widespread support from influencers, companies and the general public, and has  amplified the global call for climate action. The beach clean-up is one of the ways in which the UN is demonstrating its commitment to this important issue.

As the world moves towards the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it is important for all of us to take action and work together to create a more sustainable future.