Richard Butler | Exclusive Report by DODDY MORRIS of DAILY POST VU | 10TH AUGUST 2024
Japan’s Minister of Environment, Shintaro Ito, yesterday visited the Ministry of Climate Change and Adaptation (MOCCA), and Mangaliliu Maricultural Hatchery, as part of his three days’ visit to Vanuatu after arriving on the 8th of this month.
During his visit at the MOCCA, he met with the Minister of MOCCA, Ralph Regenvanu, to learn more about the Ministry’s work, since the Japanese Government have given a huge assistance to Vanuatu, especially in the Ministry of Climate change, in the area of early warnings, such as cameras stationed at every volcano in Vanuatu and earthquake sensor.
According to Minister Regenvanu, the purpose of the Japan Minister’s visit is to see how Japanese money was spending to help Vanuatu in terms of early warning to make the population of Vanuatu can be safe since we can monitor when a volcano will erupt and so on.
“The Minister is an elected Member of Parliament in Japan so he needs to report back to his people how he spends their money. Not Just this, Japan has done many things in Vanuatu, such as JICA, where they have help us a lot in terms of waste management like creating the Bouffa Landfill in Etas.
“I am glad to receive the Minister and show some of the things in which Japan has assisted Vanuatu with especially through the Ministry of Climate Change,” the Minister said.
In their meeting, they have agreed that the Ministry of Environment in Japan, will signed a bilateral cooperation agreement.
“I hope that we can sign this in December this year where there will be a meeting in Japan, to see how we can cooperate in different areas under the Climate Change Ministry and the Japan Environment Ministry.”
Minister Ito was grateful for the visit and saw for himself the assistance that the Japanese Government provided to assist Vanuatu. He also stated that much of the system used here is similar to Japan.
“We are willing to cooperate free for financial environment project and in addition Vanuatu and Japan can cooperate to maintain the global environment better together,” Minister Ito said.
After his visit at MOCCA, he traveled to the Northern Part of Efate, at Mangaliliu village, to see JICA’s environmental project such as Mariculture Hatchery, where he and his delegations took part in coral planting.
“This is a very beautiful place and also beautiful people with the great sense of community and great love for the nature. I do hope Japan and Vanuatu and Mangaliliu can cooperate more to create, and protect the environment together,” he said.
The Minister is expected to travel back to Japan this afternoon, after paying a visit to the Prime Minister this morning. He should have met with Prime Minister (PM) Charlot Salwai yesterday but PM Salwai was sick so the visit was cancelled.
