By taking the opportunity of the TICAD Ministerial Meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, a side event was organized on August 24, 2017 that introduced the ‘African Clean Cities Platform’ and called for participation. It was co-hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Human Settlement Plan (UN-Habitat). Approximately 100 people, including national delegations of the ministerial conference, the central and local governments of Mozambique, the city of Yokohama, Japanese companies, and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), participated in the event.

At the beginning of the event, Mr. David SIMANGO, the President of the Municipal Council of Maputo Municipality gave a welcome speech, and Mr. Arata Takebe, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment of Japan carried out opening remarks calling for the promotion of the Platform and participation by many countries. Mr. João Cipriano, Director of Environmental Department, the Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development (MITADER) of Mozambique, introduced the efforts of the Mozambique government such as its development of a waste management database, and Mr. Simão Mucavele, Councilor of Municipal Council of Maputo Municipality summarized the outline of the Maputo city’s 3R project and the background of establishing the Platform. Continuously, Mr. Kazunao Shibata, Director of Environmental Management Team 2, Environmental Management Group, Global Environment Department, JICA introduced the outline of the Platform and recent progress, and Mr. Kazuhiro Kawai, Executive Director, Resources and Waste Recycling Bureau, City of Yokohama introduced Yokohama City’s waste management experience and the progress of the preparation for training in Yokohama, Mr. Joost Mohlmann, Head of Programme, UN-Habitat Mozambique, gave an overview of solid waste management challenges in Africa, and Japanese companies introduced technologies such as the Johkasou sewage treatment plant and carbonization technology for organic waste. In the Q & A session, questions were raised about the significance of the Platform in Mozambique and the possibility of JICA’s support of African private companies. Finally, Mr. Kunihiro Yamauchi, Director General, Global Environment Department, JICA, gave closing remarks and appealed that “ownership of African countries is essential for the success of the partnership in the African waste management sector” and completed the event.

Venue Hotel Avenida, Maputo, Mozambique

Co-organizers Ministry of the Environment of Japan, JICA, UNEP, UN-Habitat