By Dickson Bandera
GABORONE, Botswana — Zimbabwean waste management company Geo Pomona Waste Management has expanded its regional footprint after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Botswana to explore sustainable waste management opportunities in the country.
The agreement was signed in Gaborone on Thursday in a ceremony witnessed by Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko.
The MoU was signed by Botswana Deputy Permanent Secretary for Projects, Tshepo C. Kebakile, on behalf of the government, and Geo Pomona Waste Management chief executive officer and executive chairman Dr Dilesh Nguwaya.
President Boko welcomed the agreement and called for the commitments contained in the MoU to be translated into practical outcomes.
The Botswana leader has previously visited Geo Pomona’s waste management facility in Harare, where he witnessed the transformation of the former Pomona dumpsite into an integrated waste management operation.
He commended the company’s experience in transforming the site and said Botswana could benefit from its technical knowledge and operational experience as the country explores solutions to its waste management challenges.
The agreement provides a framework for cooperation between Geo Pomona and Botswana’s Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs in assessing, planning and exploring integrated waste management systems.
Areas of cooperation include technical knowledge exchange, capacity building, training, preliminary feasibility studies, and assessment of potential waste management infrastructure and project delivery models.
The two parties will also examine whether technologies, operational methods and lessons from Geo Pomona’s Harare operations can be adapted to Botswana’s specific requirements.
A Joint Steering Committee will oversee the implementation of activities under the agreement, including identifying priority areas, preparing work plans and monitoring progress.
A Technical Reference Group may also be established to provide specialist advice on issues including landfill rehabilitation, resource recovery, waste management infrastructure, environmental safeguards and technology options.
However, the agreement does not amount to the award of a specific project or implementation contract.
Any future projects will be subject to technical assessments, regulatory approvals, funding arrangements and the signing of definitive agreements.
Dr Nguwaya said the agreement represented a new phase of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Botswana and demonstrated the potential for African countries to share expertise in tackling common environmental challenges.
He said waste management cooperation could generate benefits beyond environmental protection, including skills development, improved public health, stronger institutions and the development of green economies.
Geo Pomona’s Harare operations have become a reference point for discussions around environmental rehabilitation, modern waste management and sustainable infrastructure, according to the company.
The company said the Botswana engagement would allow it to share its operational experience while working with local authorities to develop approaches suited to Botswana’s environmental and institutional conditions.
The development adds to growing regional interest in Zimbabwe’s experience in integrated waste management and opens the way for further technical cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
Geo Pomona said the initiative was also aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals covering sustainable cities, responsible consumption, climate action and international partnerships.
With the MoU signed, the immediate focus will be on establishing the agreed coordination structures, identifying priority activities and undertaking preliminary technical work to determine potential projects in Botswana.
