Argentina embassy signs MoU with Qatari paper recycling firm

The embassy of Argentina has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Elite Paper Recycling Company as part of an environment-friendly initiative.Argentina’s ambassador Carlos Hernandez and Elite Paper Recycling Company chairman Abdulla al-Sowaidi were the signatories.Speaking on the occasion, the envoy observed that the partnership makes sense, considering the policies taken during the past years in Argentina.“Argentina is committed to the construction of a data driven, digitised and paper-free smart government and started almost four years ago to train all public officials in this area.“By March 2018, the central government achieved the digitisation of 100% of organisational procedures within central ministries. By focusing on transferring paper-based processes and transactions into an electronic environment, Argentina has achieved higher efficiencies and transparency across the public sector.Ambassador Hernandez pointed out that two prominent Argentines figure on the list of Apolitical’s 100 most influential on global climate policy. They are Pope Francis and the Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Sergio Bergman.“Argentine President Mauricio Macri announced an agreement with the country’s leading insurance companies to create a ‘Green Insurance’ programme, to promote both forestation and enrichment of the native forest with the aim of increasing forest plantations from 1.3mn hectares to 2mn hectares by 2030.“I am proud to announce that my home town, Buenos Aires, recently banned single-use plastic straws from being handed out in restaurants and other establishments across the capital, following the footsteps of a number of other cities in Argentina.“In 2017 we banned the handing out of plastic bags in supermarkets across Buenos Aires, which later spread to other cities in the country. I would like to see such initiatives emulated in Qatar and people carrying their own reusable bags when they go shopping, as I do,” he added.According to the MoU, Elite Paper Recycling Company will keep a cage at the embassy for collecting discarded papers. The embassy will also participate in the awareness campaigns of the company, it is understood.