GLOBAL WASTE TRADE AND AFRICA: ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY SINCE THE 20TH CENTURY

This paper examines the intersection of economic diplomacy and the global waste trade, highlighting the tensions between national development and the export of hazardous waste to African countries. While economic diplomacy is generally a tool for promoting development, the transboundary movement of toxic waste undermines sustainable growth and public health. The study investigates why developed countries export hazardous waste to Africa, often providing financial incentives, and finds that poverty in recipient countries contributes to the acceptance of such waste. Historical evidence from countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria reveals that waste dumped decades ago continues to have severe health consequences, such as acute glycaemia in Côte d’Ivoire, exemplifying the long-term risks posed to affected communities. Drawing on secondary sources and employing historical analysis, the paper argues for the urgent enforcement of international treaties regulating the transboundary movement of hazardous waste. It concludes that stronger global governance, combined with ethical economic diplomacy, is essential to protect vulnerable nations from environmentally and socially destructive practices.