On October 8, a ceremony was held in Addis Ababa, the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, to celebrate the completion of the TICAD Industrial Human Resource Development Center, which was constructed under the grant assistance “TICAD Industrial Human Resource Development Center Construction Plan” (signed in 2018). The ceremony was attended by the Ethiopian side, including Deputy Prime Minister Dimeke, Minister of Industry Merak, Minister of Revenue Ainarem, and other relevant officials, while the Japanese side included Ambassador Ito of Japan to Ethiopia, JICA Director Imoto, JICA Ethiopia Office Director Morihara, and other KAIZEN officials from 20 other countries.
Kaizen” is a system for improving quality and productivity at production sites that has supported Japan’s rapid economic growth. The Ethiopian government is focusing on human resource development that incorporates kaizen as a measure to promote manufacturing, especially light industry, from the traditional agricultural economy to strengthen industrial competitiveness. At the center of this effort is the Kaizen Excellence Center (KEC), which provides training to private companies with the goal of improving productivity.
Exterior view of the completed TICAD Industrial Human Resource Development Center
For more than 10 years, JICA has been providing technical cooperation to promote and implement kaizen in Ethiopia to contribute to the promotion of the manufacturing industry, and has been working to strengthen the organizational structure and kaizen leadership capacity of the Ethiopian government. KEC, which plays a central role in this effort, has provided training and guidance to private companies and other organizations in Ethiopia to introduce kaizen, and to date, more than 1,500 companies and organizations have received training and more than 200,000 people have participated.
The Ethiopian government’s goal is to expand kaizen nationwide through further expansion and strengthening of KEC’s functions. Currently, training for the introduction of kaizen is conducted by KEC instructors who travel to target organizations and companies, making it difficult to disseminate the training to areas far from the capital, which has been an obstacle to nationwide expansion.
The development of the TICAD Industrial Human Resource Development Center, which will include a training and administrative office building, an accommodation building, and training equipment, will make it possible to provide training programs that will bring regional organizations and companies to the capital city, contributing greatly to the nationwide expansion of kaizen in Ethiopia. In addition, it will be possible to invite organizations and companies not only from Ethiopia but also from neighboring countries to participate in the training, and the center is expected to serve as a base for the spread of kaizen in Africa.
Inside the TICAD Industrial Human Resource Development Center
At the ceremony, Director Imoto expressed his hope that the Center will further strengthen Ethiopia’s efforts to promote kaizen in other countries by dispatching kaizen trainers to neighboring countries and accepting trainees, thereby becoming a hub for industrial human resource development in Africa. Deputy Prime Minister Demeke said that the Center represents the longstanding and friendly bilateral relationship between Ethiopia and Japan, and expressed his belief that kaizen is an important tool for improving productivity in Ethiopia.
group photo
JICA will continue to contribute to improving the quality and productivity of Ethiopian industries and economic development, while taking into account the policies of the Japanese government.
© Source JICA
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