Havana, January 17 (RHC)-- Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca has announced a project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to enhance collection of solid waste in Havana. 

Entitled "For Havana: The biggest thing," this important project is funded by JICA, an institution of the Japanese government for international cooperation, and is aimed at bettering collection of solid waste in the capital on its 500th anniversary, Malmierca tweeted on Wednesday.

According to the Cuban ambassador to Japan, Carlos Miguel Pereira Cuba and Japan are going through a good moment in their relations, while both governments are promoting bilateral cooperation.

With the dispatch of 24 solid waste collection trucks to Havana, the first phase of a project to help Cuba by the Japan International Cooperation Agency began on Tthe 15th. of January.   

According to  ambassador Carlos Miguel Pereira, the initiative consists of several phases in the modality of non-reimbursable financial assistance, one of the variants of cooperation offered to Cuba since 2016 after the visit to Havana of the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.

The Hino Motors collector trucks, shipped from the Japanese port of Kobe, are due to arrive in the Cuban capital on March 2.

In total, there will be 100 similar vehicles, with specialized technology from Kyokuto, which will arrive in Havana in three more shipments before the end of November, when the Cuban capital celebrates its 500th anniversary.

In addition, as part of the project, Cuba will receive during the course of this year dump trucks, lifting baskets, chainsaws and other equipment for the restoration and embellishment of Havana.

Both nations strengthened their cooperation on March 9, when JICA inaugurated its permanent office in Cuba in order to promote bilateral cooperation projects for the sustainable development of Cuba.