Speech by Counsellor/Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Kazuo Tsukada on the occasion of The Handover Ceremony for The Project for Construction of Recycling Facility of Samoa Recycling and Waste Management Association under Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP); (24 November 2021)
Deacon Faleniko Tominiko,
Ms. Frances Brown-Reupena, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment,
Ms. Marina Keil, President of Samoa Recycling and Waste Management Association,
Distinguished members of the Association,
Diplomatic Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning and Talofa Lava.
It is my pleasure on behalf of the Embassy of Japan in Apia to officiate this handover ceremony for the project for construction of recycling facility of Samoa Recycling and Waste Management Association (SRWMA).
This project was funded through a grant provided under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP), worth up to USD 190,123 which is equivalent to approximately SAT 477,097.
The decision by Japan to fund this project was undertaken in recognition of the huge success achieved by this recycling association, which is the first in the Pacific Islands region to be established in 2017. Today’s handing over ceremony will seriously promote proper waste management systems and further raise public awareness across Samoa. Japan emphasizes the importance of the 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) principle in the context of sustainable ocean and pledged our contribution under the Pacific Bond (KIZUNA) policy agreed with the Pacific Island Countries at the occasion of the Ninth Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM9).
In fact, funding of such project in collaboration with technical expertise provided by J-Prism II project, co-implemented by JICA and SPREP is a clear manifestation of Japan’s genuine commitment and contribution to promote waste collection and management activities.
In addition, the next step for the association will begin recycling plastics and glass locally with cooperation from Japan, the United States of America, United Kingdom and the UNDP. We are very happy to welcome aid collaboration for waste management with like-minded countries and international organizations.
I am confident that this project will enable the association to access resources to meet and execute its action plans in place.
To conclude, this project is the most evident manifestation of the firm friendship between Japan and Samoa and I remain hopeful that you will be encouraged to make best use of this new facility.
Fa’afetai Lava (Thank You).
