Jica and WFP join forces to empower Libyan entrepreneurs and government officials through the innovative 'Kaizen' approach

Using the Japanese management technique "Kaizen", the participants will receive specialized training aimed at enhancing their business skills and productivity to drive economic development in their communities. The training is generously supported by the German Government. 

The training will take place in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, from 13 to 24 November. Among the participants are 10 young people from Libya’s eastern region that has been severely affected by Storm Daniel, which hit the region in September 2023. The storm particularly affected food security and livelihood opportunities in the region.  

During the opening ceremony, H.E. Amadera Masaki, Chargé d'Affaires of the Japanese Embassy in Libya complemented the strong cooperation between WFP Libya and JICA Tunis in implementing this training programme: "Despite being two very different organizations, their unique coordination greatly benefits Libya by introducing a methodology to improve the quality and productivity of its entrepreneurs. This, in turn, helps strengthen the private sector and promote the local economy, making it a valuable investment in the development of the country's human capital," said H.E. Masaki. 

The “Kaizen” approach, which means “change for the better” in Japanese, is a philosophy that encourages continuous learning, innovation, and improvement in all aspects of work. It has been successfully applied in various sectors and countries around the world. As part of the programme, participants will visit Tunisian companies that have already applied the Kaizen concept and achieved interesting results in terms of improved productivity and quality.  

“Kaizen is a way of improving quality, not just in terms of productivity, but at every stage of production. As far as Libya is concerned, this is a concept that we should promote and take greater advantage of thanks to this training", said H.E. Mustafa A. M. Elsamu, Deputy Minister of the Libyan Ministry of Industry and Minerals. 

General Director of the Management Unit of the National Programme of Quality and Productivity Promotion (UGPQP) in Tunisia Zouheir Makhloufi explained how the training has benefited Tunisia: "In Tunisia, we have now expanded to a programme that trains new Kaizen trainers in eight industrial sectors, a move which Tunisian companies have been able to take full advantage of" he said. 

Chief Representative of JICA Tunisia Mayumi Miyata said: “After more than 15 years of cooperation between JICA and Tunisia in terms of Kaizen dissemination, Tunisia has become one of Africa's leaders in the field of Kaizen. To give a specific example, Tunisian companies have been awarded the Africa Kaizen Award for Excellence for four consecutive years since 2020 due to their outstanding performance in implementing Kaizen.” 

"We are grateful to JICA, the Government of Tunisia and the Government of Libya for their support in conducting this second Kaizen training for Libyan entrepreneurs and government officials," added WFP Deputy Country Director and Representative in Libya Yasuyuki Misawa. “I believe that JICA's expertise in contextualizing the Kaizen management approach will enable participants to develop a profound understanding and strengthen their commitment to promoting sustainable resilience in Libya.”   

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. 

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