Bukavu, 18 September 2024 - The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Panzi Foundation have inaugurated the first bioethanol production unit in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This initiative involves 300 vulnerable women through the project, “Economic empowerment of vulnerable women toward social stabilization in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo”.

In a video message, OGAWA Hidetoshi, the Ambassador of Japan to DRC, congratulated the project for contributing to the economic empowerment of vulnerable women made possible through financial support from the Government of Japan.

Akemi ISHIKAWA, UNIDO project manager, expressed her sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for the financial support as well as to the Government of DRC and other stakeholders whose collaboration has enabled UNIDO to implement positive change for the women and region.

Dr. Denis MUKWEGE, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate of 2018 and President of the Panzi Foundation, also expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of Japan and all stakeholders for their generous support in establishing the bioethanol production unit. He emphasized that the facility will play a key role in preventing outbreaks of infectious disease and fostering socio-economic reintegration of vulnerable women into their communities.

In turn, Chantal TAWABA, Provincial Director of the Fund for the Promotion of Industry, emphasized that this project will create job opportunities, particularly for women. Additionally, she mentioned that it would reduce the need for importing certain inputs, positively impacting the balance of trade. She also showed her expectation that this initiative would encourage more local cultivation of sugarcanes.

The project, funded by the Government of Japan, is being implemented in partnership with the Government of DRC, the Panzi Foundation, the University of Tokyo, and a Japanese NGO, RITA-Congo. The project aims to unlock the potential of Congolese women by integrating them into the bioethanol value chain, thereby enhancing their contribution to both industrial and medical services, while strengthening their economic independence and self-confidence.

The bioethanol production unit is projected to use approximately 196 tons of sugarcanes annually to produce more than 13,500 liters of 96% bioethanol and more than 37,000 liters of 70% bioethanol, along with an initial quantity of around 1,400 liters used for hand sanitizer production.

Read the article in French here.

For more information please contact:

Akemi ISHIKAWA,

Industrial Development Expert

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