UNIDO ITPO Tokyo recently conducted two stakeholder meetings with Morocco and Kenya partners on March and April 2021 on the implementation of Japanese technology demonstration and transfer under its Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP) Demonstration Projects. Supported by a USD 4 million fund from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the goal of these projects is to support developing and emerging countries to improve health, sanitary, and hygiene environment in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases through technology demonstration and transfer. Both Morocco and Kenya are among the 12 selected beneficiary countries located in Africa and Asia-Pacific.

On March 23, the Morocco stakeholder meeting was conducted as an inception workshop for the implementation of a Japanese wastewater treatment system at Boughanim Village in Tazart Commune of the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region. Through the STePP Demonstration Project, Hinode Sangyo Co., Ltd. will transfer to the local community its Hinode Microbubbler System to treat land-wastewater with fine air bubbles and aerobic microorganisms. The technology was highlighted as easy to install and maintain, and efficient in terms of cost and energy.  

The company reported that the demonstration project was initiated in 2020 and the manufacturing, modification and analysis have already been completed. At the current phase, the assessment for the installation of the equipment in the village is ongoing with support from local stakeholders and partners. The workshop was an opportunity for the Japanese SME and local stakeholders to strengthen their commitment to the successful implementation of the project. The meeting was attended by 59 people including representatives of the Embassy of Japan in the Kingdom of Morocco, Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of Morocco, the Ministry of Interior of Morocco,  Boughanim Association for the Development and Agricultural Cooperation, Tazart Commune, Hinode Sangyo, and UNIDO.

 

More recently on 14 April, a stakeholder meeting was held for Kenya. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an update on the status of 3 STePP Demonstration Projects being implemented in various sites across the country. On this occasion, 3 Japanese SMEs briefed Kenya stakeholders on the technical aspects of their technologies and the status of  implementation.  

First, Kinsei Sangyo Co., Ltd. reported that its energy-efficient gasification incinerator was scheduled to finish installation at the Mutuini District Hospital in Nairobi by April and for tests and training to commence by May. Then, TSP Taiyo Inc., conveyed that its solar-powered mobile COVID-19 inspection vehicles is on its way to be delivered to the Machakos County Referral Hospital and that training and seminars will be conducted by May. Finally, Marusyo Sangyo Co., Ltd. shared that its photocatalytic anti-viral and anti-bacterial coating called Inviroshield M5 has been applied at Jumia Hospital Haruma last March and at Nyathuna Sub-District Hospital in April. Testing and training have also already been successfully conducted.

The Kenya stakeholder meeting, attended by 43, enabled the 3 Japanese SMEs to communicate with their Kenyan counterparts and express their strong desire to further explore long-term collaboration opportunities in the country. Representatives from the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development and the Ministry of Health highlighted the importance of the STePP Demonstration Projects and its alignment with Kenya’s own national development agenda. In conclusion, all parties agreed to hold a formal hand-over ceremony around August 2021 in Kenya, as a demonstration of the successful implementation of the technologies brought about by a strong collaboration between Kenya, Japan and UNIDO.

Note: TSP Taiyo Inc. is not a STePP company as of March 2024.