Myanmar and Japan will soon sign a memorandum to promote cooperation on environmental issues, said U Hla Maung Thein, director general of the Department of Environment, on the sidelines of a wastewater management workshop held in Nay Pyi Taw.

“We have sent the memorandum to the government and once it gives the green light, the signing will follow immediately,” he told The Myanmar Times on Tuesday.

The prime targets are improvement of air quality, taking steps to reduce global warming and climate change, conservation of biodiversity, and water quality control, said U Hla Maung Thein.

For a long time, Japan and Myanmar have cooperated on economic, social and environmental issues. The workshop in Nay Pyi Taw was an extension of that cooperation.

The workshop discussed cooperation between the two countries in dealing with issues such as waste management programs, future plans, environmental law and practices, as well as promoting private sector investment in tackling pollution and contamination resulting from waste discharged by factories.

At the workshop, Japan and Myanmar agreed to cooperate in reducing carbon dioxide emission from factories and promote the use to environment-friendly technologies in 2018.