Kigali, Nov 25 (IANS): Rwanda on Monday called for ambitious, just, and enforceable global rules to end plastic pollution and safeguard the health of people and the planet, according to the country's Ministry of Environment.

As negotiators convene for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5), Rwanda reiterated its commitment to achieving a legally binding treaty to address the urgent global plastics crisis, the ministry said in a statement.

"For two decades, Rwanda has demonstrated its commitment to tackling plastic pollution through bold national policies and regional leadership. We are now taking these homegrown innovations to the world," Rwanda's Minister of Environment Valentine Uwamariya was quoted as saying.

She emphasised the importance of collective global action, urging the global community to "unite behind an ambitious and enforceable treaty that delivers a future free from plastic pollution."

According to the statement, Rwanda is calling for a treaty that considers the full life cycle of plastic materials, reduces plastic production to sustainable levels, promotes circular economies, and fosters the adoption of sustainable alternatives.

Rwanda also underscored the need for ambitious and measurable targets, equity and inclusion, as well as a multilateral fund to provide implementation support, Xinhua news agency reported.

With negotiations at INC-5 marking the final stage of the treaty development process, Rwanda urged all stakeholders to seize this opportunity to secure a historic agreement that addresses the root causes of plastic pollution and protects humanity and the environment, the environment ministry noted.

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, tasked with developing a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, runs from Monday to Sunday, at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in Busan, Republic of Korea.