The Japanese government plans to begin supporting water resources development in four oil producing countries in the Middle East, government sources said Thursday.
The government, in cooperation with the private sector, plans to present projects that use water resources effectively to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in an effort to strengthen ties with them to secure oil resources and promote businesses of Japanese plant makers in the area.
The proposals will include projects to distill seawater into fresh water and to establish an effective recycling system by reusing wastewater, the sources said.
Tokyo also will accept technical trainees from the four countries for instruction in maintenance skills, and will conduct environmental assessments on the impact of planned projects, they said.
These projects will be subsidized by funds budgeted for supporting oil-producing countries.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will dispatch its officials to these countries early next year to conduct on-site inspections, with the goal of jointly concluding a framework for the projects, the sources said.
A delegation will travel to the area in March to discuss details of technical assistance, they said.
Source: PRNewswire