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Conference Programme

A detailed 3-day programme designed to move from understanding the problem to co-creating actionable solutions.

4 August 2027

Day 1 — Understanding the Problem

Science, Impacts, Local Reality

Build a shared, evidence-based understanding of marine plastic pollution in Cameroon and the Gulf of Guinea, grounded equally in science, policy realities, and lived experience.

08:30 – 09:30 Ceremony

Registration

Inclusive Participant Registration

Format: Open Registration

Actors / Participants

  • 2 Greeters
  • 3 Registration Clerks
  • 2 VIP/Speaker Handlers
  • 1 Troubleshooter

Session Details

  • Inclusive registration desk with support for community and grassroots participants
  • Visual displays showing plastic pathways: river → city → port → ocean
  • 3 desks organized alphabetically (A–H, I–P, Q–Z)
  • Digital Check-in with QR code system on tablets
  • Welcome Kit: Reusable glass bottle or high-quality local tote bag
09:30 – 10:30 Ceremony

Opening Ceremony

Short statements + moderated dialogue

Format: Short statements + Moderated Dialogue

Set a tone of shared responsibility, positioning policymakers alongside communities and partners, not above them.

Actors / Participants

  • National policymaker (environment / marine affairs)
  • International or continental institution
  • Representative of a coastal community (fishers, women's association)

Session Details

  • No formal speeches longer than 5 minutes
  • Moderator links three perspectives through guided questions
  • Questions addressed: What is at stake politically? Economically? For communities today?
  • Semi-circle seating — equality in seating, no VIP segregation
  • Interactive Technology: Live Polling with online tools or colored cards

10:30 – 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 – 11:45 Plenary

Keynote Address

"Plastic Pollution in the Gulf of Guinea: Current Trends and Risks"

Format: Expert input + Dialogue

Translate science into policy-relevant and socially understandable insights, avoiding technical jargon.

Actors / Participants

  • Regional or continental expert (20–25 minute evidence-based presentation)
  • National policymakers (Q&A)
  • CSOs (Q&A)
  • Youth representatives (Q&A)

Session Details

  • 20–25 minute evidence-based presentation by a regional or continental expert
  • Followed by moderated Q&A including national policymakers, CSOs, and youth representatives
11:45 – 13:30 Panel

Panel 1

Sources of Marine Plastic Pollution in Cameroon

Format: Problem–Solution Dialogue Panel

Avoid blame narratives and instead map responsibility across levels (local–national–private).

Actors / Participants

  • Municipal authority (urban waste / drainage)
  • River basin or environmental expert
  • Port authority or fisheries representative
  • Private sector (packaging / import)
  • Civil society or community representative

Session Details

  • Short inputs of 5–7 minutes each
  • Discussion structured around: dominant sources, why current systems fail, what is realistically fixable
  • Interactive 'Responsibility Mapping' by panellists on a physical or digital map
  • Visual evidence display: Glass jars containing Household Sachet Bags, Industrial Pellets, Fishing Nets, PET Bottles, Street Litter

13:30 – 14:30

Lunch

14:30 – 15:30 Panel

Panel 2

Environmental and Health Impacts

Format: Fishbowl Discussion

Move beyond abstract impacts and connect pollution to daily life, health, and livelihoods.

Actors / Participants

  • Marine ecologist
  • Public health expert
  • Community representative (fishers, women)
  • Youth advocate
  • Policymaker as discussant

Session Details

  • 3 short evidence inputs
  • Open 'fishbowl' discussion where participants rotate into the conversation
15:30 – 17:30 Panel

Research Session

3-Minute Research (3MT) Presentation Session

Format: Case-Based Storytelling

Legitimise local knowledge as equal to international expertise.

Actors / Participants

  • Local researchers
  • CSOs
  • Youth-led monitoring initiatives
  • Women's groups
  • Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs)

Session Details

  • 3-Minute presentations followed by 2-minute Q&A
  • 1 static slide per presenter — no animations, no videos
  • Each presenter must start with a 'Story Hook'
  • Large digital countdown clock for timing
  • QR Code displayed for access to digital abstract book
  • Best 3 presentations selected and all presenters receive certificates
17:30 – 19:00 Networking

Networking & Photo Exhibition

"Life Along Cameroon's Coast"

Session Details

  • Community-curated visual storytelling featuring 20–30 high-resolution images
  • Images from community groups printed on recycled board (zero-plastic policy)
  • Informal exchange between all actor groups

5 August 2027

Day 2 — Solutions and Policies

From Regulation to Innovation

Explore what works, link policy tools with implementation, and connect innovation to real governance and social contexts.

09:00 – 10:00 Plenary

Policy Keynote

"What Works: Plastic Reduction Policies in Africa"

Format: Comparative Regional Insights + Moderated Dialogue

Demonstrate transferable lessons rather than one-size-fits-all models. Focus on South-South knowledge transfer. Less

Actors / Participants

  • Continental/regional policymaker
  • National authority
  • Implementer / CSO respondent

Session Details

  • Comparative regional insights with 'Policy Cheat Sheet' handout
  • Speakers display findings on a Comparative Map of Africa
  • Includes failed policies, success stories, and other barriers
10:00 – 11:30 Panel

Panel 3

Policy Instruments to Reduce Plastic Pollution in Cameroon

Format: Multi-level Policy Panel

Bridge policy ambition and ground-level feasibility.

Actors / Participants

  • Continental or regional institution
  • National government
  • Municipal authority
  • Business representative
  • CSO

Session Details

  • Discussion framed as: What policy exists? Why enforcement fails? What support is missing?
  • Interactive setup: Ambition vs. Barrier wall filled in as conversation grows
  • Address failed laws, black market, and plastic tax implementation
12:00 – 13:30 Workshop

Parallel Workshops

Technical Labs / "Sandboxes"

Format: Three Simultaneous Workshops

Session Details

  • Workshop A: Community-based Waste Collection — Create a 'Collection Map' for a neighbourhood in Douala or Kribi
  • Workshop B: Plastic Alternatives & Local Materials — Display locally available materials (banana fiber, raffia, bamboo, cassava-starch bags)
  • Workshop C: Social Enterprises & Recycling — Speed-dating style 'Pitch & Pivot' for startups and financiers
14:30 – 16:30 Workshop

Youth & Innovation Track

Hackathon: "Zero Plastic Coast – Cameroon"

Format: Hackathon with Challenge Blast + Pitch-Off

Actors / Participants

  • Youth & Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) as designers, presenters, and moderators
  • Mentors from policy, business, and civil society

Session Details

  • The Challenge Blast (14:30–15:30): Teams choose 2 of 6 problem statements and work with assigned mentors
  • Teams create a mock-up of their solution (app wireframes or physical prototypes with cardboard)
  • The Pitch-Off (15:30–16:30): Each team gets 3 minutes to pitch and 2 minutes for judge feedback
  • Challenge topics include: mangrove plastic prevention, ghost net transformation, drainage solutions, sachet alternatives
16:30 – 17:30 Networking

Roundtable

Business, Ports and Plastic Responsibility

Format: Mixed Roundtable (No Podiums)

Link business solutions to regulation and social accountability.

Actors / Participants

  • Government
  • Private sector
  • Communities
  • Donors

6 August 2027

Day 3 — From Talk to Action

Community Engagement & Action Plan

Translate dialogue into co-owned commitments and practical next steps.

08:30 – 11:30 Field Activity

Field Activity

Success Tour & Community Meeting

Session Details

  • I. The Success Tour: Visits to local recycling startups and women's cooperatives making recycled bags
  • II. Informal outdoor meeting with a specific coastal community
  • Community members present their 'Community Action Plan' to delegates
12:30 – 14:30 Workshop

Co-Creation Session

Cameroon Coastal Plastic Action Plan (2026–2030)

Format: Facilitated Working Groups

Translate dialogue into co-owned commitments and practical next steps.

Actors / Participants

  • Group 1: Infrastructure & Logistics (Municipalities + Engineers + Port Authorities)
  • Group 2: Policy & Enforcement (National Government + CSOs + Legal Experts)
  • Group 3: Innovation & Business Models (Private Sector + Youth Entrepreneurs + Donors)
  • Group 4: Community & Education (Women's Groups + Fishers + Educators)

Session Details

  • All groups represented equally — gender-balanced
  • Each group fills out a poster-sized 'Action Sheet' (Priority Action, Timeline, Budget Source, Success Metric)
  • Final sheets shared with all groups for cross-input
  • Women and youth representation ensured in each group
15:00 – 16:00 Plenary

High-Level Session

Presentation of Action Plan + MoU Signing

Session Details

  • Presentation of 'Roadmap 2030' infographic summarizing 4 pillars (Infrastructure, Policy, Innovation, Community)
  • Hackathon winners present the Innovation section of the plan
  • Highlight 3–5 Immediate Wins: Actions to be taken in the next 100 days
  • Formal commitments from all stakeholder groups
  • MoU Signing Ceremony
16:00 – 16:30 Ceremony

Closing Ceremony

Key Messages, Next Steps & Media Engagement

Session Details

  • Key messages distilled from the three days of the conference
  • Next steps announced: 100-Day Milestone Action Plan
  • Media engagement and press briefing

AMLPPC01–2027

Africa Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution Conference. Organized by the Association for Community Awareness (ASCOA).

Quick Links

About the Conference
Conference Schedule
Call for Abstracts
Become a Sponsor

Event Details

4–6 August 2027
Hilton Hotel, Yaounde, Cameroon
3 Days | AMLPPC01

Contact

Association for Community Awareness (ASCOA)
info@ascoa.org
Cameroon, West Africa

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