From rubbish to recycled plastic... - Main contents

Second day in Guinea

I have just returned from Guinea after a very interesting trip. I wanted to tell you a bit about some of the EU projects on the outskirts of Conakry, which we visited on Sunday.

On Saturday in my speech I talked about the importance not only of investing in the health sector, but also of providing support to the areas of urban sanitation in parallel. Well, on Sunday, I saw the EU's work in both of these areas for myself, and was impressed by what I saw.

Our first visit was to a Communal Health Centre in Ratoma. This small health centre provides primary health care for the local area - everything from maternity care to dentistry. I had a good discussion with the centre's director, who told me about the challenges of his work; particularly now that so many funds which were previously earmarked for the health sector are being redirected towards Ebola support. That's where the new National Indicative Programme comes in - it will support Guinea's health care over the long term, not just in the current crisis.

Our next stop was a waste collection point at Kakimbo, where waste from the local area is collected before being taken to a central depot to be disposed of in a way which minimises the impact on people's health and on the environment. From there we went to see another step in the process - to a plastic recycling centre at Sonfonia, where people make a living from collecting the old plastic, cleaning it, shredding it into small pieces and then selling it as plastic chips, for profit. The centre has enabled many people in the area to make a living - particularly women - and is a nice example of a project which has a positive effect on the community, as well as helping to keep the area clean. I hope to see many more sites like this across Guinea soon.

I think it's important when I make these visits not just to take part in meetings but to get out and see first-hand how the EU's work is making a difference and most of all, to meet local people. I feel like I've returned from Guinea with a much better idea of the country and the areas that we can provide support in, and I hope that my visit here, so early on in my mandate, will underline my commitment to working together to help Guinea out of this current crisis and on the path towards sustainable development in the medium and long term.