Sompong Sitthivong (third left) and Toshio Nagase (first left) cut a ribbon to officially open the wastewater treatment system on March 29. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The Lao government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have officially launched the SDGs Business Verification Survey with the Private Sector for Wastewater Treatment System Utilising Recycled Materials (KIDS).
In the project, the performance and effectiveness of the KIDS wastewater treatment system will be evaluated through the actual operation of a demonstration facility.
The KIDS wastewater treatment system has been installed at the cafeteria at the National University of Laos, and was completed this month.
The actual operation of the wastewater treatment system, which has a treatment capacity of 30 cubic metres a day, began this month as a demonstration facility.
An opening ceremony for the project took place on Wednesday, chaired by the Director General of the Water Supply Department, Sompong Sitthivong, and Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office,Toshio Nagase.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nagase said “It is my great pleasure to address you all here at the opening ceremony for the Accrete wastewater treatment system utilising recycled materials under JICA’s SDGs business support survey.”
JICA has been supporting the Japanese private sector for more than 12 years through the SDGs business support survey programme, which aims to help Japanese companies expand their business overseas and assist them to collaborate with local companies to contribute to partner countries’ socio-economic development.
To date, some 1,389 projects have been conducted in partner countries, and 70 per cent of the companies that have completed the surveys are still continuing their proposed businesses in the respective countries.
In Laos, about 40 projects have been implemented and there is further potential to address challenges in various areas such as agriculture, water and wastewater management, and vocational training.
