SMEP News
Explore the latest SMEP news and stories here. Our news section showcases key events, achievements, and thought-provoking articles to keep our community and visitors abreast of SMEP happenings.

The PMA visited SMEP-funded projects in Pakistan
Representatives of the SMEP PMA and UNCTAD were fortunate to travel to vibrant Pakistan in December 2024. The main objective of the trip was to visit all Pakistan SMEP projects and to engage with relevant stakeholders in the country.

New data tracks global trade in non-plastic substitutes
A global shift towards non-plastic materials holds significant potential to deliver economic opportunities for the developing world. A new database tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes is now available on UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) online Data Hub.

Enhancing local-global dialogue for sustainable water and solid waste management in urban areas
An UNCTAD-led webinar exploring the implications for trade and cities development of a transformative approach to water and solid waste management in cities.

Can cities in East Africa become Zero-Waste? An innovative partnership model shows a route to achieve this
A Kenya-based entrepreneurial partnership between TakaTaka Solutions and Chanzi Ltd – who launched a business model in response to the SMEP Programme grant funding opportunity – has contributed to the scaling of an impactful waste management business model from Kenya into Tanzania.

How the Ghana Clean-up Project is supporting SMEP’s Social Value Model through tackling plastic pollution
SMEP-funded projects strive to leave no one behind and to facilitate decent work environments (SDG 8) by implementing various interventions, including activities that benefit the entire value chain and support SMEP’s social value model. This feature showcases activities from one SMEP grantee, the Ghana Clean-up Project, that align with SMEP’s

The SMEP Programme: Highlighting the socio-economic impact of grant spending in underserved geographies
Investing in donor grant spending in underserved geographies can significantly transform marginalised areas by stimulating local finance flows and local economic opportunities. We highlight two of the SMEP-funded projects which are designed to provide opportunities to those communities in difficult-to-reach areas and marginalised groups.