WEBINAR EVENT UNIDO-JAPAN COOPERATION: Mitigating the Impacts of COVID-19 through Technology Transfer from Japan (24 March, 2022)
2022/3/24
On 24 March, the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) organized a webinar under the title of “UNIDO-JAPAN COOPERATION : Mitigating the Impacts of COVID-19 through Technology Transfer from Japan.”
The event was based on a project which UNIDO has implemented in cooperation with the Government of Japan, to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020. As part of the project, 12 effective technologies of Japanese private companies were transferred to 10 countries in Africa and Asia, supporting them to improve their human health and hygiene environments, and to raise resilience against COVID-19 and future infectious diseases. The event consisted of a high-level session and a project case studies session, with a lively audience of almost 230 attendees.
Dr. Gerd Müller, Director-General of UNIDO, expressed deep appreciation for the support rendered by the Government of Japan and the Japanese private companies, during his video message at the high-level session. He emphasized the importance of knowledge and technology transfer to address global challenges in countries that are most in need of assistance. He expressed his hope for further expansion of the UNIDO-Japan cooperation.
Ambassador HIKIHARA Takeshi of the Permanent Mission of Japan expressed deep appreciation to all stakeholders, including UNIDO, ITPO Tokyo (Investment and Technology Promotion Office, Tokyo) and the Japanese private companies involved in leading the project to success, despite the difficulties imposed by the ongoing pandemic. He stressed the necessity for renewed commitment to international cooperation and the importance of collective wisdom, forged through the sharing of knowledge and experience in this time of difficulty and uncertainty. He further expressed his hope that UNIDO will continue to promote cooperation towards the achievement of the SDGs, acting as a platform in the field of industrial development.
Mr. YASUNAGA Yuko, Head of ITPO Tokyo, gave a brief presentation of the project. He explained that 12 unique and effective technologies of Japanese SMEs were transferred via the “Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP)” of ITPO Tokyo. He also thanked all those who supported the project.
H.E. Ms. Tabu IRINA, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Japan, expressed her gratitude for the successful transfer of 3 technologies to Kenya, for Building Back Better despite the unprecedented crisis.
During the project case studies session, speakers from Saraya Co., Ltd. and Marusyo Sangyo Co. Ltd., technology providers, and Mutuini Sub-County Hospital and the University of Danang, partners on site, gave an overview of their activities, and shared their own experiences of technology transfer, such as mass production of alcohol-based hand rub and hygiene education, gasification incinerator for medical waste, photocatalytic coating with antibacterial effect and hypochlorous acid water generator.
In the panel discussion, participants spoke of the challenges of technology transfer and their ideas for the future. Mr. Yasunaga appreciated that Japanese private companies and partners on the ground had worked together smoothly utilizing ICT despite travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. He expressed his expectation for technology transfer through ICT to continue to become mainstream.
In his closing remarks, Mr. KUNIYOSHI Hiroshi, Deputy to the Director-General of UNIDO, thanked all stakeholders for their partnership during the pandemic, and expressed his hope that the UNIDO-Japan cooperation will further expand.
The event was based on a project which UNIDO has implemented in cooperation with the Government of Japan, to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020. As part of the project, 12 effective technologies of Japanese private companies were transferred to 10 countries in Africa and Asia, supporting them to improve their human health and hygiene environments, and to raise resilience against COVID-19 and future infectious diseases. The event consisted of a high-level session and a project case studies session, with a lively audience of almost 230 attendees.
Dr. Gerd Müller, Director-General of UNIDO, expressed deep appreciation for the support rendered by the Government of Japan and the Japanese private companies, during his video message at the high-level session. He emphasized the importance of knowledge and technology transfer to address global challenges in countries that are most in need of assistance. He expressed his hope for further expansion of the UNIDO-Japan cooperation.
Ambassador HIKIHARA Takeshi of the Permanent Mission of Japan expressed deep appreciation to all stakeholders, including UNIDO, ITPO Tokyo (Investment and Technology Promotion Office, Tokyo) and the Japanese private companies involved in leading the project to success, despite the difficulties imposed by the ongoing pandemic. He stressed the necessity for renewed commitment to international cooperation and the importance of collective wisdom, forged through the sharing of knowledge and experience in this time of difficulty and uncertainty. He further expressed his hope that UNIDO will continue to promote cooperation towards the achievement of the SDGs, acting as a platform in the field of industrial development.
Mr. YASUNAGA Yuko, Head of ITPO Tokyo, gave a brief presentation of the project. He explained that 12 unique and effective technologies of Japanese SMEs were transferred via the “Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP)” of ITPO Tokyo. He also thanked all those who supported the project.
H.E. Ms. Tabu IRINA, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Japan, expressed her gratitude for the successful transfer of 3 technologies to Kenya, for Building Back Better despite the unprecedented crisis.
During the project case studies session, speakers from Saraya Co., Ltd. and Marusyo Sangyo Co. Ltd., technology providers, and Mutuini Sub-County Hospital and the University of Danang, partners on site, gave an overview of their activities, and shared their own experiences of technology transfer, such as mass production of alcohol-based hand rub and hygiene education, gasification incinerator for medical waste, photocatalytic coating with antibacterial effect and hypochlorous acid water generator.
In the panel discussion, participants spoke of the challenges of technology transfer and their ideas for the future. Mr. Yasunaga appreciated that Japanese private companies and partners on the ground had worked together smoothly utilizing ICT despite travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. He expressed his expectation for technology transfer through ICT to continue to become mainstream.
In his closing remarks, Mr. KUNIYOSHI Hiroshi, Deputy to the Director-General of UNIDO, thanked all stakeholders for their partnership during the pandemic, and expressed his hope that the UNIDO-Japan cooperation will further expand.