Capacity Building for Solid Waste Management in the Metropolitan Area of Paraguay
Two-Week Program to Share Waste Management Technologies with the International Community
The Busan-style international development cooperation training model is now officially in operation. Busan's resource circulation policy is being promoted as a future urban strategy for Paraguay.
The Busan Metropolitan Government has invited Paraguayan policymakers to participate in a training program on resource circulation policies. The city announced that it will operate the "Capacity Building for Solid Waste Management in the Metropolitan Area of Paraguay" training program for two weeks, from August 17 to August 30.
This project is jointly organized by the Busan Metropolitan Government and the Busan Global City Foundation. It was selected through a Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) public contest and will receive approximately 800 million KRW in national funding over three years, from 2025 to 2027.
The training program includes 14 Paraguayan policymakers, such as the mayor of Nueva Colombia, a city council member from Villa Elisa, and the secretary general of the Board of Audit. Participants will complete a customized program that balances theory and practice, including policy lectures, site visits, hands-on activities, and workshops. The head of Busan's Resource Circulation Division will personally lead a "Circular Economy Policy Roundtable" to share policy ideas that can be applied to local issues in Paraguay.
The schedule also features opportunities to experience Busan's resource circulation sites firsthand. Key destinations include the Busan Environmental Corporation Resource Circulation Cooperation Center, the ESG-based Social Value Management Center, the Citizens' Sharing Market, and Domohon. Participants will examine Busan's case studies, focusing on the challenge of "improving public awareness and increasing participation in waste management."
During the final week of the training, participants will develop their own Action Plans and present them at the "Circular Economy Official Development Assistance (ODA) Forum" on August 27. The forum will be held at Startup Space 100 in Haeundae, with over 50 local representatives from the public, private, industrial, and academic sectors attending to share Busan's experiences and discuss cooperation strategies.
This project goes beyond a simple overseas training invitation, as it aims to realize the "Busan-style international development cooperation training model." The Busan Environmental Corporation will provide hands-on training utilizing the resource circulation specialized complex and biogas facilities, while the social enterprise Elephant Factory will present a circular economy model tailored to local characteristics. The resource circulation startup Terracle will also participate to explore opportunities for entering the global market.
Jeon Yongwoo, CEO of the Busan Global City Foundation, stated, "We hope this training will promote Busan's outstanding policies and technologies, facilitate overseas expansion of local businesses, and ultimately revitalize the regional economy."
Lee Byungseok, Director of the City’s Water and Environmental Policy Office, emphasized, "This will serve as an opportunity to promote Busan's waste management and resource circulation policies to the international community and expand support for developing countries."
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