France Calls For Collaboration To Protect Oceans For Plastic Threat

The French government wants Nigeria, the rest of Africa, and the international community to pool resources, policies, and collaborate to protect the oceans from the dangers of plastic waste.

Jean-François Hasperue, the French Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a plastic waste awareness program at the French Institute.

Hasperue stated that the call for a united front to address the issue became necessary because plastic waste has become one of the most pressing environmental crises confronting the world, with the oceans bearing the brunt of the escalating threat.

The envoy explained that the evidence of ocean damage has been overwhelming, ranging from floating debris to microplastics embedded in marine organisms.

He stated: ”Our panellists explained that the microplastics eaten by fish in the Lagos lagoon could be consumed by people in Asia because fish are taken by foreign boats and sold all over the world. So, yes, it is a global issue that we must address. And there is one specific issue, which we have decided to address at the UN conference in Nice: biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.

“Because there has been a gap for far too long in which we have been unable to increase international cooperation in order to save the ocean’s largest areas. And I expect to announce that we have reached 60 signatories for ratification by the end of this week. So the BBNG will be able to be implemented beginning January 1, 2026.”

According to Mr Hasperue, the French government is raising awareness in Nigeria, particularly in Nigerian universities, as part of a global strategy to build student capacity while also rallying support for empowering global communities.

He stated, “We are part of France’s global strategy, and of course we want to act at different levels. We act first globally, which is why we decided to welcome the UN Conference on the Ocean, which is taking place in Nice from June 9th to June 13th this week. And that is why, in the aftermath of this global conference, we wanted to organise a debate at our level in Nigeria and Abuja, as well as activities throughout the month of June.

“And we had no less than 11 activities taking place in six different states across Nigeria, first and foremost to raise awareness in Nigeria, but also to rally support for empowering global local communities.”

Hasperue emphasised the importance of the UN Ocean Conference in addressing the dangers of plastic waste in the oceans, stating that raising awareness remains critical to putting an end to the problem.

He went on to say, “We have to consider that plastic, while it was once a solution, has now grown so large that it has become a problem. So we must now consider how to improve plastic production, ensure that plastic is better recycled, and ensure that it has a lower impact on all life on the planet.
They are part of France’s global strategy to act at both the global and community levels. So we take a top-down and bottom-up approach to ensure that what we do on the global stage to raise awareness is translated down to local communities. In every country, we collaborate with governments and civil society organisations.”

The Deputy French Ambassador to Nigeria emphasised that the French government is assisting Nigerian universities with plastic recycling and microplants, as well as funding for university projects.

He stated, “We currently have a fund of 750,000, 100,000 euros, to assist universities in recycling plastic. So, as part of this project, we will provide Nile University and UNILAG with two micro plants to recycle plastic within their respective universities. We are also funding a project at five different universities.

Similarly, Sebastien Bede, Attaché for Scientific and Higher Education Cooperation at the French Embassy, stated that the French government has been working with Nigerian partners to develop projects and implement solutions to plastic waste.
”So we have this project called the French Embassy Fund, which aims to develop and implement solutions to plastic pollution on Nigerian university campuses. And the idea is threefold. First, as previously stated by the Deputy Ambassador, two Nigerian universities, UNILAG and Nile University in Abuja, will be equipped with microplants for plastic recycling.

This includes capacity building with Plastic Odyssey, which entails training staff and developing integrated solutions that range from collecting plastic on campus to sorting it, cleaning it, grinding it, and producing the final product. So we have both input and output. So there has been a collective reflection on what is needed on Nigerian campuses.

About 17 Nigerian university students were recognised for their efforts in converting plastic waste into viable economic ventures.