On Tuesday, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) celebrated the accession of the Republic of Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to its network.

Delegates from both countries were invited to take part in a flag-raising ceremony at INBAR Headquarters in Beijing.

As official member states, they are now part of a broad coalition of countries advocating for the sustainable development of bamboo and rattan as a nature-based replacement for plastics.

They stand to benefit from training, policy input, capacity building, and other projects facilitated by South-South and Triangular Cooperation funded by a range of donors.

Malloumi Mahamat Moussa Korei, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Chad, said that plastic pollution hampers the economic health of many countries, and that replacing plastics with bamboo-based materials is a clear, nature-based solution.

Chad is proud to join INBAR and inject new vitality and dynamism into future collaborative endeavors, he said.

The ceremony was held as part of the 12th Session of the INBAR Council, which brings together representatives from INBAR member states every two years to review and update the next year's agenda.