Japan is funding a joint research programme into plastic waste and alternative materials in South Africa. The programme will run for three years, paid for by a Japanese grant of $1.8-million.
It will be jointly implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
"This project has been mentioned between the two [countries'] leaders," highlighted Japanese Ambassador Norio Maruyama at the signing of the agreement in Pretoria on Friday. Japan had agreed to provide the funding after a bilateral meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, prior to the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June.
"Innovation can be the solution of a lot of issues, particularly the environment," affirmed Maruyama. "With this project with Japanese technology, we can show how innovation can be a solution."
At the G20 summit, Abe announced that Japan would support the waste management efforts of developing countries, including capacity-building and infrastructure development. The Ambassador described the signing of the agreement in Pretoria as a "concrete achievement" of that policy.
"We are very proud to support South Africa to introduce alternative materials to plastic, and it's through Japanese technology," he affirmed. This new technology was cutting-edge, and produced biodegradable plastics. The agreement would also strengthen South Africa's capacity for plastic recycling.
Japan has announced a particular focus on the problem of plastic litter in the sea. It has developed a programme called the MARINE Initiative, MARINE being an acronym for the four elements of the programme. These are -- the Management of waste, the recovery of marine litter, innovation, and empowerment.
Japan would also assist developing countries to participate in this initiative. This will be done through international cooperation (including official development assistance); international operations by Japanese companies, local governments and non-governmental organisations; and the dissemination and sharing of best practices.