The upcoming Youth Olympic Games (JOJ) in Dakar in 2026 are set to embrace a bold commitment: achieving a plastic-pollution-free event. This ambitious pledge comes from the Dakar 2026 organizing committee, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition of Senegal, and with the vital backing of the United Nations Development Programme (PNUD). At the core of these Games will be several guiding principles: a significant reduction in single-use plastics; a concerted effort to enhance waste sorting and collection across all venues; comprehensive awareness campaigns targeting athletes, spectators, and local communities; and the mobilization of governmental bodies, the private sector, and civil society to ensure a lasting environmental legacy.
“This initiative positions Dakar 2026 as a definitive benchmark for sustainable sports events, simultaneously propelling Senegal’s journey towards a circular plastics economy,” the COJOJ enthusiastically stated. Fatou Leigh, the Interim Resident Representative for PNUD Senegal, further elaborated on this vision: “We are not merely initiating an environmental project; we are launching an aspiration. Our goal is for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games to unequivocally demonstrate that a major international spectacle can genuinely accelerate the shift towards a more responsible and truly sustainable circular economy.”
Aliou Gory Diouf, the Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, underscored the significance of the event. “The Youth Olympic Games present an extraordinary opportunity for Senegal,” he remarked. “We are determined to showcase Senegal’s capacity to host the first-ever Olympic event on the African continent, while simultaneously forging an environmental legacy as profound as its sporting one. Our ambition extends beyond the duration of the Games; we aim for the responsible practices adopted during this period to become an ingrained cultural norm.”
