Japan International Cooperation Agency has launched "JICA Clean City Initiative" to contribute to the realization of "clean cities" in developing countries. The initiative will mobilize various sets of assistance, including ODA loans, grant aids, and technical cooperation, to solve environmental problems such as waste treatment, water pollution, and air pollution. The goal is to help and benefit 500 million people in 50 developing countries by 2030.

In many developing countries, industrialization and urbanization have progressed without appropriate environmental measures, resulting in waste, water and air pollution, and health hazards. JICA is taking on the JCCI to prevent environmental pollution, help realize a clean city where people can have a healthy life, and build a sustainable society.

JICA has two cooperation policies: 1) to improve the waste treatment system to create a recycling-oriented society, and 2) to create a healthy water, air and soil environment through environmental regulations and pollution prevention measures. The initiative includes measures such as establishing a system for collecting, transporting, and processing waste, and reducing waste by sorting and recycling.

There are many issues that need to be addressed in order to realize clean cities in developing countries in terms of technology, facilities, finances, and institutional and legal systems. JICA will focus its support on capacity development in order to maximize the impact. In addition to the development of facilities and legal systems, JICA will nurture human resources who will be responsible for raising social awareness.

JICA held the kick-off international seminar in Tokyo and online on the 19th and 20th. At the beginning of the first day of the seminar, Executive Senior Vice President of JICA Junichi Yamada said, "The initiative will build on and further develop the achievements of the past cooperation. We will accelerate the partnership with the government, local governments, private companies, universities and other related parties. We will continue to work together with everyone to realize clean cities in developing countries.” (2022/01/20)