The plant took four years to build and is part of a water improvement project funded with 121,426 euros
14ymedio, Madrid, 5 February 2025 — A new donation from Japan arrives to alleviate basic needs in Cuba. It is, on this occasion, a desalination plant for the municipality of Cocodrilo, on Isla de la Juventud. The facility was inaugurated last Thursday with the presence of the Japanese ambassador to the Island, Nakamura Kasuhito, who made an official visit to Cuba for several days. According to the official press, it marks the beginning of a project to improve drinking water, financed by the Basque NGO Mundubat, with 121,426 euros.
Ihosvany Juliá, a delegate from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) on Isla de la Juventud, explained to the official press that “adjustments are still being made for the optimal exploitation of the equipment in order to offer a sustainable and quality service to the beneficiaries.” However, State television has echoed these days the grateful testimonies of several of the 300 inhabitants of this coastal community, located 90 kilometers from the capital of the special municipality, Nueva Girona.
Yarilis Leyva Swaby believes that “it has been a good achievement for the people,” because the water they had was “quite salty and bad.” In the same vein, Madelyn Reinol Ramírez said: “It is a great advance, since we have spent many years drinking salty water.” Laura Figueredo Soto, for her part, was “super happy” and said: “I have a little boy, and he loves the water. I, who have been used to well water all my life, feel it’s a little strange, but he is in love with his fresh water, and if he is happy, I am happy.”
Described by the authorities as a plant that is “unique in its kind in the country,” it processes 3,100 liters of water in one hour
Described by the authorities as a plant that is “unique of its kind in the country,” it processes 3,100 liters of water in one hour, which means pumping 31 cubic meters of water a day. However, Raúl Arcaya, director of the comprehensive Hydraulic Resources company, specified that the process “must be constantly monitored to meet the needs of the population and avoid overexploitation of the plant.”
Likewise, the official, who clarified that Japan donated the plant and that “the civil and electrical part was assumed by the local authorities,” acknowledged that “there were many unforeseen events and challenges during the installation process,” which lasted no less than four years. The authorities foresee monthly monitoring of the plant, beginning in February.
At the opening event, Ambassador Nakamura recalled that last year, Japan and Cuba celebrated the 95th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations, and said: “I intend to continue promoting this tradition of friendship, and the inauguration of this project is the first step in this direction.”
In fact, this is not the first time that Japan has helped Cuba. In April 2024, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) donated more than 20 million dollars to collaborate with Cuba in the assembly of solar photovoltaic parks, also on Isla de la Juventud, following the controversial Cuban energy transition plan. The project also included batteries with a capacity to store 10 MW.
“There were many unforeseen events and challenges during the installation process,” which lasted no less than four years
“The experience can be very useful for the megaproject of 2,000 megawatts that would be generated with solar panels, the first phase of an ambitious [Cuban] government project to move the fossil energy matrix to a renewable one,” said the then-Japanese ambassador, Hirata Kenji.
Last November, JICA sent a shipment worth $160,000, which included water purifiers, blankets, tents and mats for 100 victims in Artemis after the passage of Hurricane Rafael.
That event was Nakamura’s debut as a diplomat on the Island after presenting his credentials, on November 20, to Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez. The ambassador recalled then that it was not the first time that Japan has sent donations to Cuba: “Similar actions of the Japanese people and Government in disaster situations in Cuba” were carried out after the passage of hurricanes Sandy (2012), Matthew (2016), Irma (2017) and Ian (2022), he said.
Since 2018, Japan has also maintained eight large-scale, non-refundable financial assistance programs on the Island. One of these projects assisted the residents of Pinar del Río after Ian’s scourge. The donation included “23 water purifiers, the same number of single tanks to store the liquid, and 50 spools of cables and adapters,” said the Japanese authorities. .
Tokyo’s gifts also include 84 Japanese buses, in 2022, to the Havana transport company, and 24 garbage trucks delivered in 2019.
Japan also grants Havana microcredits of up to $130,000 with an assistance program – which doesn’t need to be reimbursed either – for “Human Security,” designed for immediate attention to small towns after specific disasters.
As for food, until 2023, Japan had spent 63,400 dollars to supply machinery to several mini-industries of fruit and vegetable preserves in Matanzas. The plan then was to collaborate with the failed Food Sovereignty Act.
Translated by Regina Anavy
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
