The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is expected to provide Rs 150 crore additional loan assistance to the Orissa government for completion of the Rengali Left Bank Canal.

JICA has already sanctioned Rs 474 crore for the project. Out of the total length of 141 km, the work on 71 km could be completed with Rs 150-crore assistance from the bank.

The 71 km canal could provide irrigation facilities to 29,000 ha, however, work has been completed only on a portion of it which can irrigate 16,000 ha.

The entire project is expected to irrigate 1,14,000 ha when fully completed.

Fukai Yoshio, head of water projects at the Japanese Cooperation Agency (JICA), announced that his government would invest 450 million francs (roughly US$ 1 million) over the next three years in Senegal’s Departments of Tambacounda, Kolda, and Ziguinchor. Besides equipping boreholes with motorized pumps at 35 sites, the program will create a hygiene committee in each village.
– summary by Louise Shaler

Source: Agence de Presse Sénégalaise / allAfrica.com [in French], 18 Nov 2009

Acho que entreguei a papelada corretamente… Marcaram minha entrevista pra sexta-feira, dia 04. Dedinhos cruzados pra dar tuuuuudo certinho.

Google Africa BlogにG-Africa Initiativeという活動についての投稿があった。

G-Africa Initiativeとは、Googleの慈善活動という位置づけで、サブサハラ・アフリカ諸国でソフトウェア開発者を対象にしたセミナーを開催する活動のこと。今回のGoogle Africa Blogではナイジェリアで実施されたことが書いてあった。

10月28日から3日間、ナイジェリア最大の都市（旧首都）ラゴスで、国内トップクラスのソフトウェア開発者50名を呼び、Google Web Toolkit, AppEngine, Maps API, iGoogle and iGadgetsの使い方の講習が行われた。アフリカで実施する「インターネットってのはね・・・」という説明が必要な初歩的なITセミナーとは異なり、トップクラスの技術者対象だけあって、その内容も高度なもの。3日間という短期間で、Googleの提供する上記のツールを利用して携帯アプリを作成する者までいたという。

G-Africa Initiativeの説明によれば、ソフトウェア開発だけでなく、Web上におけるローカル・コンテンツの作成方法やマーケティング等、小規模ビジネスに向けての講習も含まれている。そして、このG-Africa Initiativeイベントはサブサハラ・アフリカ諸国で継続的に開催するようだ。こうやって、アフリカのIT人材育成に貢献し、「良いとこしてる」感をアピールしつつ、アフリカにおけるGoogleのプレゼンス向上と、同地のITビジネスにおけるGoogleツールのデファクトスタンダード化を、着々と図っているのだなぁと感心。

アフリカではほかにも、Cisco Systemsも同じような取り組みを援助機関と協力して実施しており、Cisco Networking Academyという名でアフリカ諸国でCCNA（Ciscoのネットワーク技術者資格）取得用の教育を提供している（エチオピアでもあったなぁ）。ちなみに、JICAもアフリカからのIT技術者を日本に招いて東大で研修をうけさせるという研修事業を手がけている（日本に来るけど、受講する内容は、Ciscoのネットワークだ・・・）。

数年後にはアフリカのITビジネス界が盛り上がることが期待出来る。そして、それまでの経過を追っていくのも面白そうだね。

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 639

Apologies for the delays, which may continue for some days, as I am attending the UN Internet Governance Forum meetings in Sharm el Sheikh/Egypt with a busy schedule, in a different time zone, and then traveling back to Cambodia. I try to be on time as much as possible.

Norbert Klein

“According to a news source, at least three disabled veterans, poor citizens, were arrested between 14 to 16 November 2009, when they resisted armed forces and police of the Kompong Thom authorities, coming to enforce a notification to confiscate land, where the authorities claimed that those citizens live there illegally, in Banteay Rou Ngieng village, Kraya commune, Santuk district, Kompong Thom.

“The source of this information claimed that there is an association with more than 1,700 families of disabled veterans, living there since 2004, and that the association lives on more than 10,000 hectares of land, where each family was provided with 3 hectares by the head of that community, for housing and for growing different crops, since 2005. But on 14 and 16 November 2009, about 50 armed forces and other authorities came with machinery to remove their houses, and they arrested three people.

“The disabled veterans said that the authorities burnt their houses, shot at them, and even arrested some people and hit them with riffle handles, in order to evict them to seize the land for the Tan Bieng company [a Vietnamese company].

“Responding to the accusation that the authorities ordered armed forces to burn their houses, shoot at them, and arrest people, the Kompong Thom deputy police chief, who had gone himself to conduct the eviction, Mr. Nou Thany, told Deum Ampil on 18 November 2009, via phone, ‘The accusation is not true. And if there is anything true in it, the authorities used only their right to self protection, because those disabled people used knives, sticks, and gasoline bottles to burn the machinery of the authorities and to chase them away and to hurt them with knives.’ He added that the action was taken following a notification to confiscate the land for the Tan Bieng company, which had received the right from the Royal Government to make some investment on that land. For evictions, the municipality has a policy to offer each of them a plot of land in the nearby Thma Samlieng area, but only somewhat more than 100 of them agreed to register to take this offer of land at the new location. The rest protested, rejecting this policy and they used force against the authorities who went to enforce the eviction order.

“Mr. Nou Thany emphasized that the disabled veterans association does have the right to create an association at that area, but not the right to control the land. Therefore, there was a notification, ordering them to leave. Before they would have to leave, the municipality had set the deadline of 25 November 2009 for them to accept new land; however, they turned to resist strongly on 14 to 17 November 2009.” Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #340, 19.11.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 19 November 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #340, 19.11.2009

• Three Were Arrested for Preventing the Implementation of a Notification to Confiscate Land in Kompong Thom
• Most Malaria Medicines Are Fake and No-Quality Medicines [according to expert officials of the Ministry of Health]
• Tragedy as a Boat Sunk [because of strong wind] Resulting in the Deaths of a Man and of Three Children while His Wife Survived [Kandal]
• Two Young Men Died Immediately after They Were Hit [while riding on a motorbike] Behind a Bus of the Capital Company [Battambang]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2102, 19.11.2009

• [About 300] Staff and Workers of the Royal Railways of Cambodia Stopped Protesting after the Ministry [of Public Works and Transport] Promised to Pay Their Salaries on 27 November 2009
• More Than 600 Square Kilometer of Cambodia Are Still Mine Infested [according to the Cambodian Mine Authority]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #533, 19.11.2009

• Mr. Sam Rainsy and Ms. Tioulong Saumura Attended the European Community Parliament Meeting about Cambodia Yesterday [in Brussels]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6809, 19.11.2009

• The Red Shirt Demonstrators Announced to Conduct a Large Demonstration on Sunday [29 November 2009] to Dismiss [Prime Minister] Abhisit Vijjajiva’s Government
• Special UN Envoy [in charge of AIDS in the Asia Pacific, Dr. Nafis Sadik] Met with a Group of Most Vulnerable People in the City [drug addicts, people infected with AIDS, and orphans - Phnom Penh]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #49, 19.11.2009

• Court Started to Question a Thai Man about Spying [he had copied flight documents of Prime Minister Hun Sen and of Thai ousted fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to send the copies to Thailand]
• Cambodia Is Still the Country with the Most Corruption among the Countries in the Region [of Asia Pacific; according to a report of Transparency International, Cambodia stands at the 158th position among 180 countries affected by corruption in the public sector, while in 2008, Cambodia was at the 166th position]
• Construction Investments Increased by 22% within 9 Months Compared to the Corresponding Period [last year; by the end of September 2009, there were 1805 projects amounting to US$1.165 Billion, while in 2008 there were only 1558 projects]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5051, 19.11.2009

• A Robber Shot a Policeman to Death and Then after Half-an-Hour Siege the Robber Was Shot Dead by Police [if he had agreed to let police arrest him and not shoot one policeman to death, he would not have be killed - Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh]
• A Japanese Man [a staff member of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)] Fell from the Second Storey of a Building of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Died [police has not identified why he fell down - Phnom Penh]
• The Minister of Tourism Asked UNESCO to Help Create a Master Plan for Eco-Tourism around the Tonle Sap Lake

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
And please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.

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This week’s been fraught with problems for the forestry component of the project so it has been difficult to put together a comprehensive plan about where we are going with REDD until today.

We’ll be doing another forest inventory of a region very near to the last one.  So, first of all, I will try to update the forest map as best I can with satellite images and field visits so that when we place the measurement points we don’t end up in the middle of coffee plantations.  Like last time.  I’m then going to put together a short questionnaire for the M’Nong villagers who help with the inventory, with questions about them and their lives.  Those data, along with some nice profile shots, will be a great addition to the map data once it is online; it will show that we really got to know the local people and put faces to the issues in the area.  These will, of course, be incorporated into Google Earth as balloons so they’ll pop up in context as people are using the site.

Getting a hold of good satellite imagery is turning out to be a bit of a problem but at this planning stage it might be enough to use LANDSAT images although a) the resolution is a bit weak and b) the recent images have these annoying blank lines through them because of a fault on the satellite itself in 2003.  We’ll make do, of course, but will be begging the people from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency who are here next week to lend us theirs…

Ok, algo que todo estudiante de japonés debe saber es: ¿que es JICA?.

JICA: Agencia de Cooperación Internacional de Japón.

Es una organización de asistencia económica y social para los países en desarrollo. Se inicia en 1974 como oficina adjunta del ministerio de relaciones exteriores de Japón, logrando su autonomía en octubre del 2003. Tiene oficinas en 97 países y proyectos en mas de 150 países. Cuenta con una fuerte red de voluntarios (JOCV: Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers), y Personal Técnico altamente comprometido en el logro y participación de las estrategias internacionales de desarrollo.

Actualmente a surgido una “Nueva JICA” gracias a la Fusión de la misma con el Banco de Cooperación Internacional de Japón. Ahora JICA es posiblemente el organismo bilateral de desarrollo más grande del mundo, con más de 10 mil millones de dólares de recursos financieros disponibles.

JICA en Honduras
JICA International

Never again.

This should properly be the Filipino mantra in the wake of Ondoy.

But unless corrective steps are taken and people responsible are held to account, the next Ondoy will claim more lives and destroy crips and infrastructure, oublic and private, beyond the P 6-billion authorities have tallied up.

I say this because overnight two sobering items, a document and an investigative report surfaced possibly pointing to how we got to where we are: distraught over Ondoy.

In my mailbox landed a document image of the prospectus of the Japanese company which appears to have been the main builder of the Manggahan floodway project, the water spinach and water lily-clogged man-made river that’s supposed to prevent flods from engulfing Metro Manila from the Marikina-Pasig river basin.

On its face the document is proof positive that a reputable contractor was behind Manggahan and other tangent, well-planned infrastructure, most likely funded in great part by concessionary project loans from Japan to the Philippines.

Laudable this is, indeed, as far as bilateral development cooperation goes.

This is the same principle that was in play when, as reported last night by ABS-CBN/Newsbreak that there had been a P 1.1-B flood warning system for Metro Manila, also generously funded by Japan.

But as the report reveals:

Expensive flood warning equipment and devices have been rendered idle and put to waste because of neglect following the transfer of flood control from the public works department to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The idle equipment could have mitigated the deluge brought about by tropical storm Ondoy in Metro Manila.
Abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak learned that a flood warning system from Japan amounting to P1.1 billion has been rendered useless because of neglect, indifference or simply lack of foresight.
Sources involved in the initial implementation of the project squarely faulted MMDA chair Bayani Fernando for the inoperable early warning facilities that could have minimized the flooding and deaths in the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake complex.
These sources, who agreed to talk on condition that they will not be identified, said Fernando simply let the equipment suffer wear and tear, without the required maintenance “because he thought the cost outweighs the benefit,” sources said.
Sought for comment, Fernando refused to talk about the now useless flood warning system, saying he was too busy in garbage cleanup. “Let us not talk about it yet,” he said.

(Images from ABS-CBN/Newsbreak)

Flood warning

The flood warning system in Metro Manila was procured through the Effective Flood Control Operation System or EFCOS, a brainchild of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The project aimed to achieve effective flood control operations for the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake complex through two major components of the Metro Manila Flood Control Master Plan: the Manggahan Floodway and the Napindan Hydraulics Control structure.

It involved the construction of an office that will serve as central network for the rainfall gauges and water level stations, plus a master control and multiplex communications network, relay towers and warning stations.

The EFCOS involved two phases. The first one, completed in 1992, was financed through a Japanese loan amounting to P600 million.

Two rainfall gauges in Boso-Boso in Antipolo and Mt. Oro in Montalban, including 9 water stations, were initially set up, with the master control station in the Rosario Weir (a weir is a small dam built in a river to back up or divert water).

Data from the water gauges and water level stations are transmitted through a telemetry system to the Rosario Master Control Station.

Advance information

From the data, authorities have advance information on any overflowing of riverbanks along the stretch of the Pasig river, thus alerting them for potential flooding.

The system also alerts authorities on how to regulate the water level in the Rosario Weir, whether to divert the waters into the Laguna Lake for temporary storage or into the Manggahan floodway. The Manggahan floodway was designed to mitigate flooding from the lower Marikina river and Pasig river.

The second phase, completed in 2001, was a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, to the tune of P500 million.

This part of the project involved the installation of additional rainfall gauges in Mt. Campana in Antipolo, Rizal; Aries and Nangka, both in San Mateo, Rizal; Science Garden in Quezon City; and, in Napindan, Pasig City. Additional water-level stations were also set up and telecom equipment systems were distributed to the different local government units in Metro Manila for better coordination.

Nine warning posts were also installed along the Manggahan floodway, which were supposed to be operated by remote control to forewarn those living near the Pasig river for any potential flooding.

Neglected by MMDA

DPWH sources, who declined to be identified for lack of official permission, said that in 2002, the EFCOS project was turned over to the MMDA under Fernando based on a 2-page Memorandum of Agreement.

One source said Fernando himself lobbied with the President for the transfer of the EFCOS project under his control. The entire staff of EFCOS was also moved to the MMDA.

(Emphasis mine)

Sometime in 2006, the EFCOS project was no longer gathering or relaying data, and in May 2008, operation was suspended by the MMDA reportedly due to budgetary constraints. “We were informed that Fernando withheld the funds for the EFCOS because the cost of maintaining does not compensate for its supposed function,” one source said.

Worse, all the flood warning equipment, which were operational before, are no longer functioning, the sources said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/print/73576

WTF???

Mr. Fernando does not want to talk about the matter right now?

Why?

Is it because the buck stopped with him and it ‘probably’ reveals his culpability???

Paging the Senate and the House of Representatives PLEEZ!!!

Or will our ‘honorable’ lawmakers clothed with investigative powers ‘in aid of legislation wait for the next Ondoy???

Liberia is poised to receive a US$ 19.9 million from the African Development Bank to address the poor sanitary conditions of Monrovia, but certain “simple conditions” need to be met. The Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) N. Hun-Bu Tulay said the ADB has agreed to provide the amount as a “soft loan” to the Liberian government for use by the LWSC.

The “conditions” he said are: that government must be willingness to accept the fund as a grant; that government establishes a “single institution” to spearhead water and sanitation projects; and that government gives “strong support” to findings and recommendation of an ongoing study on water and sanitation integration.

The Bank will provide the money “for the restoration of the White Plain Hydro and the LWSC facilities in Voinjama, Lofa County,” Mr. Tulay told President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf last Wednesday [30 September 2009] in Gardnersville at the commissioning of a community water supply system, built by the Japanese government.

The White Plain Hydro was the power source of pipe borne water supply to Monrovia and its environs before the back-to-back 14 year (1989-2003) destructive civil war. Since then, full restoration of water supply to Monrovia and its environs has not succeeded, as a result of the huge overhead cost associated, and coupled with the lace of electricity.

Around 63% of dwellers in the Greater Monrovia rely on unsafe water source daily a survey by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) reveals.

JICA last Tuesday [29 september 2009] officially unveiled the Draft Final Report of the Master Plan Study on Urban Facilities Restoration and Improvement in Monrovia. In the Master Plan Study, JICA focused on the recovery and reconstruction of urban facilities, which are road, public water supply, sewerage and drainage.

“When we look at the present situation, we face a lot of difficulties, which include: (1) deterioration of main and distribution pipeline; (2) around 63% of dwellers in the Greater Monrovia have to rely on unsafe water source; (3) lack of stable water supply, (4) lack of proper water quality monitoring on water supply system and boreholes” JICA’s Chief Representative Mr. Kunihiro Yamauchi reemphasized at the Gardnersville water supply commissioning ceremony on Wednesday.

Mr. Tulay told the Liberian Leader that the ADB is willing sign the agreement with the Liberian for the funds to be used directly by the LWSC; that is, the agreement will not be directly between the LWSC and ADB.

The LWSC wants to implement “short term water supply program” to the public, and there is and need to take advantage of the opportunity because “water is very important to life,” said Tulay.

Since it would require legislation to establish to national water and sanitation institution, which would of course be time-consuming, Mr. Tulay suggested that the President exercises her power-Executive Order-to set up a water and sanitation commission.

All international partners coming into the country to undertake water and sanitation programs would operate through this commission, and this would be a unique way of integrating the sector to foster development, Mr. Tulay agreed with the ADP.

The President did not make a definite comment on the issue, but nodded somewhat in affirmation.

JICA in its survey developed groundwater development plan and water supply development plan for target years of 2014 and 2019. Mr. Yamauchi said according to the plan, future water demand in Greater Monrovia was estimated to be 19 Million Gallon/day in 2014 and 30 Million Gallon/day in 2019, adding that “The estimation shows that the gap between demand and water production is widening.”

President Sirleaf lauded the Japanese government through JICA for the construction of the satellite water system that would provide safe drinking water for at least 1,000 residents in the MTA community.

Source: D.K. Sengbeh, The Informer / allAfrica.com, 05 Oct 2009

JICA funds $3 million national park project

HA NOI — The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) provided US$3 million in funding on Thursday for a project to help Central Highland province of Lam Dong People’s Committee strengthen the management of Bidoup Nui Ba National Park.

The four- year project aims to enhance the national park’s management of its natural resources and biodiversity through a community-based approach, with the eventual goal of turning Bidoup-Nui Ba into a community-based ecotourism and ecologically-friendly park.

Established in 2004, the 64,800- hectare Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park located in the north of Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, has a well preserved natural forest and is rich in biodiversity.

Cement producer gives students awards

HCM CITY— Innovative ways to save energy, use water in industrial processes and other research initiatives by college students were rewarded by cement producer Holcim Viet Nam Ltd. last weekend.

The prizes were given to students of the HCM City University of Technologies and Can Tho University.

The prize aims to boost research work in applied sciences that can contribute to sustainable development in the country.

They are granted to third year students and upwards who conduct research in community development, environment protection and sustainable development.

Children hospitalised with changing season

HCM CITY — The number of kids hospitalised at Children’s Hospital No.1 increased with the onset of autumn, said vice director of the hospital Nguyen Thanh Hung.

The children are mainly suffering from viruses, with symptoms including fevers, headaches, vomiting and respiratory inflammation.

Children in the hospital are currently sharing beds due to over-crowding.

Free job-training for demobilised soldiers

DONG NAI — The college of Engineering Water Resources in Ho Nai 3, Trang Bom District in southern Dong Nai Province has offered free job training courses to 20 demobilised soldiers who have returned from Truong Sa Spartly Archipelago.

They can take part in vocational courses on mechanics, driving, or electrical work from six months to two years.

The training programme costs about VND100 million (US$5,500). —

Source: vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn

Peruvian authorities and representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) were scheduled to meet on [14 July 2009] in Piura region to start the first phase of an institutional strengthening program for water and sanitation management, government news agency Andina reported.

The program is part of a technical cooperation agreement signed between the Japanese government and the ministry of housing, construction and sanitation.

JICA donated US$3mn for the four-year program which aims to improve water and sanitation management in rural areas and in small towns in the northern regions of Piura and Lambayeque. The initiative will also strengthen the institutional capacity of committees, administrative councils and municipalities, which are in charge of managing, operating and maintaining water supply and sanitation services.

Source: BNamericas.com [subscription site], 14 Jul 2009

[Peru – Brazil] – Eletrobrás sets sights on Peruvian generator – BNAmericas

Brazilian federal power holding company Eletrobrás (NYSE: EBR) is planning to buy a Peruvian generator to participate in an upcoming hydro auction in Peru, company CEO José Antonio Muniz Lopes told journalists. The executive declined to say which generator Eletrobrás was looking to acquire but said the purchase was essential for the Brazilian holding group to operate in Peru.

[Peru – Brazil] – Brazil, Peru Work Out Details of Hydro Plants – Latin American Herald

Energy ministers from Brazil and Peru announced details of plans for several hydroelectric plants to be built in the Andean nation, saying after a meeting that 80 percent of the energy generated by the stations would go to Brazil and the rest to Peru.

Both partners will have the right to sell their respective energy quotas to other South American countries, Brazilian Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao said Friday after a meeting in Rio de Janeiro with his Peruvian counterpart, Pedro Sanchez.

The first five power stations – to be built in Peru’s eastern lowlands at a cost of between $12-15 billion – will generate a combined total of 6,000 megawatts annually once they come on stream in 2015.

[Peru – South Korea] - Peru, S Korea examine tomorrow progress of APEC bilateral agreements – Andina

Peru and South Korea examine on Wednesday the progress of the bilateral agreements achieved by Presidents Alan Garcia and Lee Myung-bak during the summit of leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in Lima in November 2008, the Korean Embassy reported. “The agreement achieved last year includes mutual cooperation in oil, mineral and natural gas sectors”, the Ambassy reported.

[Peru – Japan] - Peru, JICA to invest US$ 23.3 million in 6 new docks in Peru – Andina

Peru’s Government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will invest 70 million soles (around 23.7 million dollars) in the construction of 6 new docks located along the Peruvian coast, reported today Production Minister Mercedez Araoz.

[Venezuela – Russia] – Russia Promotes “Energy Alliance” with Venezuela – Latin American Herald

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he was ready to promote an “energy alliance” of global oil giants Russia and Venezuela, and confirmed his willingness to study Caracas’ requests for additional arms purchases.

Putin told Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez that Russia will employ “the most modern equipment and technologies” to carry out plans for cooperation with Venezuela in the oil and gas sector.

[Venezuela – Brazil] – Brazil To Export Coffee Immediately to Venezuela – Latin American Herald

The accord was struck by representatives of the ministry and the state-run firm Cafe Venezuela last Friday and represents $4.1 million in revenue for small producers and family cooperatives in southeastern Brazil.

The New Iloilo Airport with its facilities in Cabatuan and Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, Philippines. This video is courtesy of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Cabatuan, Iloilo.

What is the cost of a quarter page advertisement in the first page in color of our national dailies like Ittefaq or Daily Star ? I presume it will be around one hundred thousand taka or more ? If such advertisement is run on several dailies, then we can assume the total expenditures involved in such advertisements.

I am writing this piece because today the 24th of June 24, 2009, such advertisements had been published in the Daily Star and Ittefaq and I presume it has been published in several other dailies also.

The published advertisement is an announcement of a design context, invited by the Waste Management Department of Dhaka City Corporation and JICA, Japan Official Development Assistance. The contestants have to compete for creating a new logo design for the Waste Management Department.

The winners will be rewarded. The first prize is a desktop computer, second and third prizes are mobile phones. Now how much does a desktop computer cost ? Maximum 50,000 Taka if it is a branded one. How much does a mobile phone cost, the high end ones are about 30,000 Taka.

The reason for stating these costs is to point out the ratio of cost of publicity and the prize money of the context. The cost of prize is much more than cost of the publicity in this contest. It would be more acceptable and better recognition of our artists if the ratio would be vice versa, i.e the prize money should be much higher. It seems that DCC and JICA are more interested to publicize the context rather than rewarding the winner, for this, perhaps the prizes may not attract the contestants. It is common that such potential artisans possess a computer and cell phones.

I end with a bangla saying “Khanjnar Cheye Bazna Beshi” and in this manner the overseas funds for development for our country are mismanaged.

Chilean natural gas distributor Metrogas and water utility Aguas Andinas started up operations at the country’s first biogas plant installed at the Farfana water treatment complex on the outskirts of Santiago. The plant will produce 24Mm3/y of biogas and replace about 14Mm3/y of natural gas. “This is the only place in the world where biogas produced by a water treatment facility ends up being used directly in homes,” Metrogas president Matías Pérez Cruz said, adding that the biogas plant is the largest in South America. Investment in the project totaled 3bn pesos (US$5.3mn).

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 14 May 2009

Meanwhile in Brazil, officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Paraná state water utility Sanepar [have met] to discuss projects to expand power generation sewage treatment plants. [...] Since 2008, Sanepar has been producing electric power from its [Ouro Verde sewage treatment plant in Foz do Iguaçu]. The plant produces energy for its own operations and the surplus is sold to power company Copel. [Sanepar wants to] extend the successful experience of Foz do Iguaçu to all [its] sewage treatment plants.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 25 May 2009

Chilean natural gas distributor Metrogas and water utility Aguas Andinas started up operations at the country’s first biogas plant installed at the Farfana water treatment complex on the outskirts of Santiago. The plant will produce 24Mm3/y of biogas and replace about 14Mm3/y of natural gas. “This is the only place in the world where biogas produced by a water treatment facility ends up being used directly in homes,” Metrogas president Matías Pérez Cruz said, adding that the biogas plant is the largest in South America. Investment in the project totaled 3bn pesos (US$5.3mn).

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 14 May 2009

Meanwhile in Brazil, officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Paraná state water utility Sanepar [have met] to discuss projects to expand power generation sewage treatment plants. [...] Since 2008, Sanepar has been producing electric power from its [Ouro Verde sewage treatment plant in Foz do Iguaçu]. The plant produces energy for its own operations and the surplus is sold to power company Copel. [Sanepar wants to] extend the successful experience of Foz do Iguaçu to all [its] sewage treatment plants.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 25 May 2009

Japan has donated US$13mn to Bolivia’s Cochabamba city to carry out a potable water projec to expand the Aranjuez treatment plant, install pumps and build the main distribution network in the southeastern zone of the city. Potable water coverage currently stands at 48% in Cochabamba city [and] potable water and sewerage utility Semapa [Servicio Municipal de Agua Potable de Cochabamba] [...] aims to increase potable water coverage to 83% by 2012 and 95% by 2027.

Earlier, Bolivia’s environment and water ministry announced a [US$10mn] emergency plan to rehabilitate Semapa. [...] A US$4.6mn initiative to expand coverage is already underway with funding from the EU and a national government program. [I]in October or November [2009], a US$5mn project being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will start up. The southern community water systems association Asicasur is also contributing US$1mn for projects. [...] By December 2010, works should begin to supply potable water to 50,000 inhabitants and sewerage services to 35,000.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 29 May 2009 ; BNamericas, 08 May 2009

São Paulo state water utility Sabesp has started to implement its 10-year program to monitor and control water losses, budgeted at over 3bn reais (US$1.37bn) [...] in partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The technical cooperation agreement involves an exchange of experience and technology between Japanese specialists and Sabesp technicians.

[...] The program has four stages. National development bank BNDES will finance 700mn reais for the first stage which runs from 2009-11. [...] It will take at least 15 years to cut water loss volume in half, according to JICA engineer Masahiro Shimomura.

Japan’s 7% water loss rate is one of the lowest in the world, according to Shimomura, who said that it took 50 years to achieve this and an almost incalculable investment, “much more than billions of dollars.”

[...] In São Paulo state, the city of Jales is currently the best performer with an 8% water loss [while] Sabesp’s water losses are at 27.7% [and] the national average is 40%. [Sabesp] expects to reduce [losses] to 13% by the end of the program.

In 2007, Sabesp and JICA signed a US$2.4mn agreement to prepare for the implementation of the project. JICA donated US$1.5mn for equipment and materials, while Sabesp invested US$900,000 to train its technicians in Japanese technology and work practices.

Source: Daniel Bland, BNamericas [subscription site], 15 Apr 2009

A government panel has given it’s approval to the proposal to allow the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to make investments and provide loans to developing countries again, reversing a 2001 decision to strip JICA of such power, officials said.

The Overseas Economic Cooperation Council, spearheaded by PM Taro Aso, gave its nod to the proposal to facilitate infrastructure and resources development in developing countries by funneling assistance via JICA to Japanese companies that engage in businesses in such nations. [..] Govt envisions having JICA invest in overseas projects to build water purification plants with the involvement of Japanese companies, while helping Japanese firms secure concessions in foreign coal mines.

JICA earlier used to provide loans and investments for projects [but this was suspended] after the Japanese government witnessed a string of cases where JICA incurred losses. [To prevent this happening again the govt] and others will devise a mechanism to keep JICA from incurring large losses by analysing past cases of its investment and loan blunders.

Source: Kyodo/PTI / Business Standard, 03 Jun 2009

一週間ほど前に、JICAに登録してみました。海外に来るにあたって、英語が話せるようになったらと少し考えていたもう一つの理由です。

JICA国際協力人材センター  http://www.jica.go.jp/index.html
PARTNERホームページ：http://partner.jica.go.jp/

まだ、具体的に行動は出来ないけど、私にも何か出来る事があって、何かさせてもらえるのであれば、それは、きっと素晴らしい事で、運命というか、縁という物が、そこにあればなと思っています。

いっぱいやりたい事もあるし、勉強したい物もあるけど、第一線で働く事も同じように、何にも変えられないものです。

将来は先が見えないくらいまぶしいって常に、言える人生でありたいと思う今日この頃です。