Video Message by Prime Minister Kishida on a Certified PALM10 Commemorative Project
[Provisional Translation]
I am KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan. As we carry out the project to “Strengthen ‘kizuna’ in the Pacific through the promotion of public-private partnership (PPP) in the Pacific Island countries,” certified by the Tenth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10), I would like to deliver a few words.
Water infrastructure that ensures safe and clean water and hygienic toilets is essential to the public health. Japan has made comprehensive efforts to extend assistance for the nurturing of human resources and business management, in addition to the development of facilities for water supply and sewerage, with a view to improving the environmental of “water and sanitation” in the Pacific Island countries. JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is currently providing technical cooperation for the improvement of the financial balance of water utilities in Fiji and Samoa, as well as for the improvement of human resources and operational management capabilities for wastewater treatment in Fiji. I have also heard that in Port Moresby, JICA’s project to construct sewage treatment facilities made it possible to restore beautiful sea and people's lives. While contributing in developing such facilities, Japanese companies have gained high recognition in the world for their technologies for leak detection and water pressure management in water distribution pipes, and Japan’s technology for leak prevention also plays a key role in providing technical cooperation.
We hope that the Pacific island countries, as partners under the slogan of “co-creation,” will grow and chart the future together with Japan. Recently, the Japanese Government decided on a “New Policy toward Enhanced Cooperation with Global South Countries,” in which the Government defined PPP as a form of assistance for the first time. We hope to build on Japan’s experience in PPP projects to promote the creation of PPP-based projects in a wide range of infrastructure sectors through public-private partnerships in the Pacific island countries as well, and contribute to the efficient improvement of the environment.
In closing, I hope that the “kizuna” between Japan and the Pacific island countries will be further strengthened on the occasion of this commemorative event as PPP projects in such countries will be promoted with the assistance from Japan. Thank you very much.
