📍 Renaissance Polat Istanbul Hotel (8–9 September) and Texhibition Istanbul – Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair, Istanbul Expo Center (10 September), Istanbul, Türkiye
Organised by NRDC and BCRC-SEA & SCRC Indonesia, under GEF-7 projects implemented by UNEP and UNIDO (GEF ID 10523 & GEF ID 10543)
The textile and garment industry is one of the largest users of chemicals worldwide. Some of these chemicals pose risks to human health and the environment. To address this, UNEP (in Asia) and UNIDO (in Africa) are implementing complementary GEF-7 projects that aim to reduce hazardous chemicals and promote circularity in the textile sector.
South–South learning is a key part of both projects’ knowledge management strategy. This Asia–Africa Knowledge-Exchange Meeting therefore brought together stakeholders from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Viet Nam in Asia, and Ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar and South Africa in Africa. Participants shared experiences, data and lessons from their work.
The hybrid meeting ran over two days of sessions in Istanbul. Discussions covered early data collection and chemical inventory findings, progress and lessons from pilot implementations, and policy, regulation and enforcement highlights. Participants also examined gender, occupational health and safety and social dimensions, as well as emerging international and industry standards and recent testing findings. On the third day, they visited Texhibition Istanbul to see the latest developments in the textile industry and connect directly with manufacturers and suppliers.
A key goal of the meeting was to establish a Joint Asia–Africa Community of Practice. This cross-regional network will support continued peer-to-peer learning among policymakers, project implementers, brands, manufacturers including SMEs, chemical suppliers and service providers.
Participants included government focal points from environment, industry and labour ministries, national project coordinators, implementing partners, technical service providers, partner initiatives, brands and retailers, textile manufacturers, and chemical suppliers. The meeting’s results will be compiled into knowledge products, including case studies and good practice briefs. They will also feed into preparations for the Global Framework on Chemicals International Conference in November.
