The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called on governments, businesses and consumers across the Horn of Africa and neighbouring countries to strengthen electronic waste collection and recycling systems, warning that the region’s digital transformation must be matched by measures to manage discarded devices safely and prevent environmental contamination.
In a message marking International E-Waste Day on 14 October 2026, the regional bloc urged people to repair, reuse and responsibly recycle electronic equipment rather than dispose of it with ordinary household waste. The appeal comes as mobile phones, computers, telecommunications equipment and other electrical devices become increasingly important to economic activity, public services and everyday life across the region.
“As the IGAD region advances its digital transformation, we must ensure that progress remains sustainable,” the IGAD Secretariat said, calling for longer device lifespans, stronger collection systems and safeguards against hazardous materials contaminating ecosystems.
The challenge extends beyond waste disposal. Electronic equipment contains materials that can be recovered for reuse, alongside substances that may pose risks to human health and the environment if handled improperly. Without appropriate collection, dismantling and recycling processes, discarded devices can enter informal waste streams, where unsafe handling and processing may expose workers and surrounding communities to harmful substances.
The scale of the global problem is illustrated by the Global E-waste Monitor 2024, produced by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The report found that the world generated a record 62 billion kilogrammes of electronic waste in 2022, equivalent to an average of 7.8 kilogrammes per person. Only 22.3% of that total, or 13.8 billion kilogrammes, was documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner.
The report also found that global e-waste generation had increased by 82% between 2010 and 2022, growing almost five times faster than documented formal collection and recycling. It attributed the widening gap to factors including technological advancement, higher consumption, shorter product lifespans, limited repair options and inadequate waste management infrastructure.
For countries across the IGAD region, these pressures raise questions about whether waste management systems can keep pace with expanding access to digital technology. Electronic devices support mobile banking, education, healthcare, business operations and government services, but each product eventually reaches the end of its useful life. As more devices enter circulation, governments and industry face the task of ensuring that discarded equipment is collected, sorted and directed towards appropriate reuse or recycling channels.
IGAD’s appeal emphasises three connected interventions: extending the useful life of electronic devices, establishing accessible collection systems and preventing hazardous materials from entering the environment. Repair and reuse can delay disposal and reduce demand for replacement products, while formal recycling can recover valuable materials and reduce the quantity of waste requiring disposal.
The approach also has an economic dimension. Electronic waste contains recoverable metals, plastics, glass and other materials that can re-enter production when processed appropriately. The ITU has highlighted the potential value of these resources, noting that poor collection and recycling systems leave substantial quantities of materials outside formal recovery channels. Building effective systems could therefore support resource efficiency and create opportunities for repair businesses, collection services and recycling enterprises.
However, the benefits depend on the infrastructure available to collect and process waste safely. Public awareness campaigns alone cannot deliver responsible disposal if consumers have no convenient collection points or if formal recycling services are costly or difficult to access. Governments need systems that connect households, businesses, retailers, manufacturers, collectors and authorised recyclers, supported by clear rules and reliable information about where discarded equipment should go.
The private sector also has a role in reducing waste before products are discarded. Manufacturers and retailers can support repair, refurbishment, take-back and recycling programmes, while businesses replacing computers, phones and other equipment can establish procedures for responsible handling of obsolete devices. Such measures can help keep valuable materials in circulation and reduce the likelihood that electronic waste enters uncontrolled disposal routes.
International E-Waste Day was established in 2018 by the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum to raise awareness of the need for responsible management of discarded electronics. Its 2026 campaign focuses on the theme “Recycle it all, no matter how small!”, drawing attention to small electronic items that are frequently overlooked or placed in general rubbish. The campaign highlights the importance of collecting items such as cables, chargers, small appliances and other devices rather than assuming that their size makes them insignificant.
The theme is relevant to households and businesses across the IGAD region, where small electronic items can accumulate in homes, offices and storage facilities before eventually being discarded. Convenient collection arrangements and clear public guidance can help consumers distinguish between equipment that can be repaired or reused and items that require specialised treatment.
For IGAD, the message links environmental protection with the region’s broader development ambitions. Digital services can expand access to information and economic opportunities, but the environmental costs of technology must also be considered. Sustainable digitalisation requires attention not only to connectivity and device affordability, but also to the resources used to manufacture equipment and the systems needed to manage it at the end of its life.
The next step is translating the regional appeal into practical measures at national and local levels. Progress will depend on whether countries can strengthen collection networks, develop safe recycling capacity, improve public awareness and establish effective partnerships between government and industry. Better data on the volume and movement of discarded electronics will also help policymakers understand where infrastructure and regulation are most urgently needed.
IGAD’s call underscores a growing challenge for the region: ensuring that the expansion of digital technology does not outpace the systems needed to manage its waste. Repairing devices where possible, improving access to collection services and ensuring that discarded electronics reach appropriate recycling facilities will be central to making digital progress more environmentally sustainable.
