[Japan International Cooperation Agency] [Monday, Jun 15, 2015]
Signing of Japanese ODA Loan Agreement with the Kingdom of Thailand
On June 15, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a loan agreement with the Government of Ukraine in the capital of Kyiv to provide a Japanese ODA loan of up to 108.193 billion yen for the Bortnychi Sewage Treatment Plant Modernization Project.
Since the change in administration in February 2014, the economic conditions in Ukraine have worsened due to conflict and prolonged energy issues. With a real GDP growth rate of negative 6.9 percent in 2014, there are concerns that the production of industries such as mining will drop, and it is predicted that the growth rate will fall to a negative 7.5 percent in 2015.
Given these circumstances, the Government of Japan announced assistance for stabilization in Ukraine, and this project will be the core of the assistance package of up to 150 billion yen announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the G7 summit held in the Hague in March 2014.
With the objective of establishing countermeasures for deteriorating infrastructure built during the Soviet era, the Government of Ukraine announced a nationwide program for reformation and development in the utilities sector in 2004, is formulating rehabilitation plans for infrastructure located in regional municipalities and is pushing for early project implementation.
The Bortnychi sewage treatment plant treats all of the sewage for Kyiv and surrounding cities, but as the facilities were constructed between the 1960s and the 1980s, major facilities have deteriorated, and many of the mechanical and electrical equipment have exceeded their service life. In addition, as the sludge field is nearly full, sludge incinerators and other facilities are urgently needed to reduce the volume of sludge. Nearby residents have complained about odors from the sewage treatment plant, and sludge overflows have occurred due to embankment breaches at the sludge treatment field.
The objective of the project is to improve sewage treatment in Kyiv by developing and modernizing the facilities at the Bortnychi sewage treatment plant, thereby contributing to the improvement of public health and living conditions for residents. Anti-odor measures, which are highly desired by local residents, are included in each component of the project, including covers for the primary water treatment and sludge treatment facilities, facility housing and deodorization facilities.
Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) will be applied to this project. A belt condenser for condensing the sludge produced in the water treatment process, a screw-press dryer for drying the sludge condensate, and improved fluidized bed sludge incinerators are among the areas where advanced Japanese technologies for saving energy and reducing the environmental burden are expected to be used.
Reference
1. Terms and Conditions of the Loan
2. Executing Agency
Kyivvodokanal
Address: 1A Leiptsyzka St., Kyiv, UKRAINE
Phone/fax: +380-044-280-5757
3.Planned Implementation Schedule
(1) Completion of project:
September 2022 – when the facilities are put into service
(2) Issuing of letters of invitation for consulting services (including construction monitoring):
January 2016
(3) Tender announcement of initial procurement package for international competitive bidding on project construction:
Procurement package title: Water Treatment Facilities, Sludge Treatment Facilities, Sludge Incineration Facilities, Other
Release date: January 2017
4. JICA Contact Information
For further information about the procurement schedule, please contact the party listed below.
Country Officer for Ukraine, Middle East and Europe Department, JICA
Address: Niban-cho Center Building, 5-25 Niban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8012
Phone: 03-5226-6846
Fax: 03-5226-6365
[Japan International Cooperation Agency] [Tuesday, Jun 16, 2015]
Signing of Grant Agreements with the Kingdom of Cambodia
On June 16, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed grant agreements (G/A) with the Royal Government of Cambodia to provide grant aid of up to a total of 3.282 billion yen for assistance for two projects.
In its National Strategic Development Plan for 2014 to 2018, the Royal Government of Cambodia has prioritized improving the access rate to safe drinking water, and capacity building and human development. These projects will contribute to support sustainable growth in Cambodia.
The projects under the grant aid agreements are described below.
(1) The Project for Expansion of Water Supply System in Kampot (total amount of aid: 2.985 billion yen)
In the 1950s, a water supply system that included a water distribution and supply network was installed in Kampot, the capital of Kampot Province in the southern part of Cambodia, but the water purification plant was destroyed during the civil war. In 1993, a Dutch non-governmental organization provided restoration assistance in the form of a simple direct water distribution system utilizing river water, and the existing water purification plant underwent comprehensive reconstruction and repairs with assistance from the Asian Development Bank in 2006. However, water services are a challenge with the water supply rate being merely 47 percent due to an inadequate purification plant supply capacity, an inadequate water distribution pipe network and deterioration of some of the water distribution pipes. As Kampot is located near the sea, some of the groundwater is unsuited for drinking, and therefore many residents cannot use wells, making expanding the water facilities with a safe water source a priority.
This project will expand and improve the water supply system in Kampot, improving the access rate to safe water and improving the provision of safe water services, thereby improving the living environment for residents.
(2) The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (total amount of aid: 299 million yen)
As there is inadequate capacity among the employees, structures, organizations and public finances of government ministries and related agencies that handle development issues in Cambodia, improving the capacity of officials and institutional development are the greatest challenges the country faces. Through this human resource development initiative, it is expected that Cambodian government officials who attend Japanese graduate schools to acquire knowledge aimed at improving those challenges will be able to effectively address priority development problems in Cambodia such as strengthening the economic base and promoting social development.
This project will support up to 24 people in obtaining master’s degrees at Japanese universities. This project aims to train younger officials who work on socioeconomic development in Cambodia and are expected to carry out important roles in the core of government. In addition, this scholarship program is expected to lead to a stronger bilateral partnership between Japan and Cambodia through the building of human networks.
[Japan International Cooperation Agency] [Wednesday, Jun 17, 2015]
Signing of Grant Agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco
On June 16, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement (G/A) with the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco to provide grant aid of up to 1.2 billion yen for the Project for Construction of Shellfish Aquaculture Technology Research Center.
This project will construct a research center that focuses on shellfish aquaculture technology on the coastline of Amsa Bay in Tétouan Province and provide the equipment required to carry out aquaculture technology research. This project will establish shellfish aquaculture technology in the country by improving related research and development capacity, including for the production of shellfish seedlings at the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH*).
With an abundance of aquatic resources along its coast, Morocco has promoted offshore fisheries industry and related infrastructure development since the 1970s. Through increased exports, the fisheries industry in Morocco has developed rapidly, but with global awareness about the limitations of marine natural resources, the Government of Morocco has moved to set catch limits for resource management. Therefore, further development of the aquaculture fisheries industry is an important challenge as is promoting the fisheries industry which is fully dependent on natural resources.
This project will strengthen the research capacity at the INRH, which is in charge of developing technology research in the fisheries sector in Morocco, and is envisaged to establish shellfish aquaculture technology, including the production of shellfish seedlings, in a form appropriate to the marine environment of Morocco. The project is also expected to strengthen the relations between Japan and Morocco, a country that is diplomatically important areas such as the fisheries sector as a source of octopus, squid, tuna and other products destined for Japan.
[Ministry of Defense] [Tuesday, Jun 16, 2015]
Japan Defense Focus No.65 published
The “Japan Defense Focus”, the English journal of the Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces (SDF), introduces a wide range of topics every month. The June issue covers various topics including special feature on the SDF’s International Disaster Relief Activities in Nepal and articles about Defense Minister Nakatani’s Visit to the U.S., and so forth.
