Japanese PM offers support to ‘Clean India’ campaign

Shinzo Abe

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has offered to cooperate with India to promote the Swachh Bharat Mission, which translates to ‘Clean India’ Mission and aims to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of India’s cities, towns, and rural areas by 2019.

Congratulating India on the success of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention, Shinzo Abe said, “Securing clean water and improving sanitary conditions is a common challenge in the world. We hope for the further progress of each country’s efforts to address the challenge through active discussions at this convention (MGISC).”

The Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) was a four-day international conference that brought together Sanitation Ministers and other leaders in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) from around the world.

A host of national and international dignitaries attended the event, which was inaugurated by the President and addressed by the Vice President of India. The Convention culminated on October 2 this year to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday which was celebrated as the Swachh Bharat Diwas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres addressed the function.

United Nations has recently honoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French president Emmanuel Macron with the ‘Champion of the Earth’ award for their leadership in promotion of renewable energy and eliminating all single-use plastics in the country by 2022.