Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
From June 21 to September 29, 2023, the Government of China, through the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica, organized a free-standing online training course titled the “Training Course on Sustainable Development of Bamboo and Rattan Industry.” The course was conducted in collaboration with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR). Approximately 30 participants from Jamaica’s government, academia, and business sectors attended. The opening ceremony was held virtually, and the closing certificate award ceremony was hosted at the Chinese Embassy in Kingston. Though another course (Information and Communication Technology Planning and Development) was referenced at the closing event, all sources consistently cite the same cohort of ~30 trainees, and Chinese official media treats the bamboo and rattan course as a standalone aid training project.
Staff comments
1. The contents of the course were not specified, nor was the exact role of the Chinese Government vs. the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization in instruction. However, the Chinese government records treat this as a Chinese aid project. 2. Additionally, the record on the opening ceremony mentions only the "Training Course on Sustainable Development of Bamboo and Rattan Industry," while the closing ceremony apparently awarded certificates for both that course and the "Information and Communication Technology Planning and Development Training Course." However, both ceremonies had the same reported number of trainees in attendance ("nearly 30"). 3. The Chinese names for the "Training Course on Sustainable Development of Bamboo and Rattan Industry" and the "Information and Communication Technology Planning and Development Training Course" are "竹藤产业可持续发展培训班" and "信息与通信技术规划、发展研修班" respectively. 4. The financing agency has been coded as MOFCOM, as MOFCOM is responsible for China's foreign aid programs and often funds training courses and technical assistance projects like this one.