News from the Field

News from the Field - JICA http://www.jica.go.jp/english/ - en Copyright 2012 2023年6月12日 00:00:00 +0900 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The Matadi Bridge’s 40th Anniversary: Inheriting Japanese Technology and a Love of the Bridge in the DRC The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)’s Matadi Bridge, built with Japan’s cooperation, opened in 1983. The bridge, which stands as a symbol of the friendship between the Congo and Japan, celebrated its 40th anniversary in May 2023. It has been maintained and protected by Congolese hands since Japanese assistance was suspended due to the country’s political instability. The skills and convictions of the local “bridge keepers” that were passed on from Japan are being handed down to the next generation of the country’s young professionals. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230612_11.html 2023年6月12日 00:00:00 +0900 JICA Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Met with World Customs Organization Secretary General Mikuriya On June 2, JICA Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Junichi met with World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary General Mikuriya Kunio at JICA Headquarters. At the beginning of the meeting, Executive Senior Vice President Yamada expressed his appreciation for Secretary General Mikuriya’s leadership regarding the close collaboration between JICA and the WCO to date. In response, Secretary General Mikuriya conveyed his gratitude for JICA's longstanding cooperation and his hope to broaden collaboration between JICA and the WCO in the future. Both parties then affirmed that they will continue working closely together on human resource development and other initiatives, including the Master Trainer Program (MTP) for training customs officers in Africa and Oceania, which is being implemented based on a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that was signed in 2015. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230609_41.html 2023年6月09日 00:00:00 +0900 Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang of Vietnam Visited JICA On May 24, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam visited JICA Headquarters, where he met with JICA President Tanaka Akihiko and Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Junichi. From the start of the meeting, President Tanaka praised the effort of Vietnamese people for attaining remarkable development and added that it was his pleasure that JICA was given the opportunity to work together with them. He also noted that JICA would like to expect strategic use of ODA to further advance sustainable and inclusive growth of Vietnam. In response, Deputy Prime Minister Quang expressed appreciation for JICA’s contributions to the development of Viet Nam thus far. Following this, Dr. Yamada and Deputy Prime Minister Quang exchanged the views on Japan-Viet Nam cooperation, among other things, and confirmed that the two countries would continue to work closely together. They also agreed to have regularized high-level consultation meetings to accelerate the implementation of Japanese ODA projects in Vietnam. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230609_10ey.html 2023年6月09日 00:00:00 +0900 JICA Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay On May 26, JICA Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Junichi held a talk in Tokyo with H. E. Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. At the opening of the meeting, Dr. Yamada talked about the results and the future of JICA's projects in Laos, including those related to wind power generation, human resource development support, and infrastructure. He expressed his hope to further deepen cooperation between the two countries to promote both Laos' continued development and stronger ASEAN ties. In response, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay expressed his gratitude for JICA's contribution to Laos, saying that Japan's ODA and JICA's efforts have supported good relations between the two countries and have built mutual understanding and trust. The two also exchanged views on the development of cooperation for financial stabilization and enhanced connectivity, and confirmed that they will continue to work closely together toward the important milestone of 2025―the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Laos. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230601_32.html 2023年6月01日 00:00:00 +0900 Military Clashes in Sudan: What Caused Them and What Do They Mean for JICA’s Efforts? The northeastern African country of Sudan has been the site of violent armed clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, that began on April 15. After returning to Japan later that month, Sakane Koji, Chief Representative of the JICA Sudan Office, discussed the reasons behind the conflict in a country that was thought to be making a transition toward democratic governance, the present situation there, and the status of programs run by JICA. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230530_11.html 2023年5月30日 00:00:00 +0900 “A Step Towards Hope”: JICA Supplies Sunflower and Corn Seeds to Support the Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukrainian Agriculture http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230524_11.html 2023年5月24日 00:00:00 +0900 JICA President Tanaka Visited Papua New Guinea JICA President Tanaka Akihiko visited Papua New Guinea (PNG) from April 17 to 20 to inspect JICA's cooperative projects and meet with Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Justin Tkatchenko, and other key government officials. PNG has the largest land area of any Pacific Island country and is considered a regional powerhouse that is rich in mineral resources such as gold and copper, and natural resources such as oil and natural gas. On the other hand, the country's traditional approach to land ownership has led to limited state-owned land, and delays in the development of basic infrastructure such as transportation and electricity have hindered economic development and contributed to poverty. Improving public safety is also an issue and requires orderly development and growth. During his meeting with Prime Minister Marape and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tkatchenko, President Tanaka noted that Japan and PNG have been long-standing partners since the Second World War and that JICA looks forward to continuing their solid cooperative relationship. Prime Minister Marape expressed his appreciation for the quality of the projects that JICA has carried out so far, as well as his hope to continue to conduct people-to-people and economic interactions to encourage the development of both countries. Both parties confirmed the need to further strengthen the relationship between Japan and PNG through ODA. President Tanaka, together with Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso and Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. Walter David Schnaubelt, visited the construction site of the "Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project," a loan assistance project nearing completion, and attended the nameplate unveiling ceremony. Once construction is completed, Nadzab Airport, which is located on the outskirts of PNG's second-largest economic city, Lae, will be able to accommodate international flights in addition to existing domestic flights, contributing to the further development of PNG. At the ceremony, the Minister expressed his appreciation for JICA's cooperation and informed the audience that upon completion, the name of the airport will be changed to Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport, ("tomodachi" meaning "friend" in Japanese) in order to express the close relationship between PNG and Japan. Lae is the commercial and industrial center of PNG, and an urgent response to the rapidly increasing demand for electricity in the city is thus essential. One such response has been the loan-assistance "Ramu Transmission System Reinforcement Project," which expanded the Erap substation. President Tanaka visited the substation, witnessing the site where 138 km of transmission lines were laid and new, expanded, and refurbished substation facilities were installed. The Chief Executive Officer of PNG Power Limited expressed his gratitude for Japan's support for the project, which will provide a stable supply of electricity to the region centered around Lae, and his hope that the project will revitalize the economy and improve the living environment of the local residents. Up to now, JICA has developed math and science textbooks and teachers’ manuals for elementary students in grades 3 through 6 in PNG. Currently, teaching materials for students and instructional materials for instructors in the science and mathematics departments of teacher training colleges are being prepared so that aspiring teachers can properly use these textbooks and provide high-quality education. To witness the fruits of these efforts, President Tanaka also visited the Education Media Centre, with which Japan has cooperated for many years, and observed the creation of remote teaching materials using the science and mathematics textbooks and teachers’ manuals that have been formulated. President Tanaka expressed JICA’s hope for its technical cooperation project to support the training of elementary-level education teachers, saying that education is the cornerstone of a country's development and that long-term efforts in this field are needed. President Tanaka also visited the University of Papua New Guinea and interacted with students enrolled in the JICA Chair, which opened in February 2022, to study the process of Japan's modernization and economic growth and to examine the development of their own country. In response to questions from students about the background of Japan's successful modernization, President Tanaka said that the agency would be happy if the JICA Chair lectures could serve as an introduction to the Japanese experience and help students consider how to shape their own societies. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230519_10e.html 2023年5月19日 00:00:00 +0900 [G7 Special 3] Cyber Vulnerabilities in Developing Countries Are a Threat to All Japan will chair the G7 Hiroshima Summit from May 19 to 21, 2023, and guide the discussion among the leaders of the Group of Seven nations on the biggest issues confronting the international community. The third and final installment of this series of articles on the G7 and JICA’s international cooperation focuses on cybersecurity. This is an issue requiring urgent action given society’s growing dependence on digital technology. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230518_21.html 2023年5月18日 00:00:00 +0900 [G7 Special 2] Global Health in the Post COVID-19 World At the G7 Hiroshima Summit, Japan will serve as the chair and lead discussions on various issues facing the international community. On the occasion of this summit, this series will focus on the current state of important global issues and future challenges, as well as Japan’s contribution and JICA’s cooperation activities in this area. The theme of this second article in the series is “Global Health.” It has been three years since the beginning of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. To prepare for the next infectious disease outbreak, we will look at the need for global health systems in the post-COVID-19 era. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230518_11.html 2023年5月18日 00:00:00 +0900 [G7 Special 1] Supporting Ukraine, a Critical Issue that the International Community is Facing: The Roles of Japan and JICA The G7 Summit for the Group of Seven (G7) major economies will be held in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21, 2023. Japan will chair this year's G7 and lead the discussions on various issues in the international community. The event will offer an opportunity to consider the current and future challenges facing the international community, and the contributions of Japan and JICA. The first installment of a series is focusing on support for Ukraine, more than a year after the Russian invasion began. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230517_11.html 2023年5月17日 00:00:00 +0900 JICA President Tanaka met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina On April 26, JICA President Tanaka Akihiko met with Prime Minister H.E. Sheikh Hasina of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. At the beginning of the meeting, President Tanaka mentioned the great progress being made under projects supported by JICA, such as the partial opening of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 and the inauguration of the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ). In addition, he remarked that under the “Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B)” initiative, which is aimed at developing economic infrastructure, improving the investment environment, and enhancing regional connectivity, JICA’s support will focus on the “Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI)” for the comprehensive development of the Southern Chattogram region, including the Matarbari deep sea port. In response, Prime Minister Hasina offered words of gratitude for JICA’s many years of cooperation. She also expressed her hope for further cooperation between the two countries in the future toward the growth of Bangladesh. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230512_33.html 2023年5月12日 00:00:00 +0900 JICA President Tanaka met with ILO Director-General Houngbo JICA President Tanaka Akihiko met with International Labor Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo at JICA Headquarters on April 24. At the opening of the meeting, President Tanaka expressed JICA’s hope to further deepen cooperation with the ILO in areas related to the field of Business and Human Rights, such as the protection of the human rights of migrant workers and the elimination of child labor, based on the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that was signed in January 2023 with the ILO Office in Japan. In response, Director-General Houngbo stated that efforts in these areas are extremely important in the current global situation and that he would like to promote them in cooperation with JICA. The two parties confirmed that they will continue to explore possibilities for collaboration in various areas, especially in the field of Business and Human Rights, utilizing partnerships such as the Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI) and the Platform for Sustainable Cocoa in Developing Countries. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230512_41.html 2023年5月12日 00:00:00 +0900 Launch of "Strengthening Implementation of Home-based Records for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health" at Quality of Care Network Webinar and International Conference (IMNHC 2023) Date: April.20th, 2023 (Webinar), May.10th, 2023 (IMNHC) Sponsors: JICA, UNICEF, WHO Location: Online and Capetown, South Africa http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230510_01.html 2023年5月10日 00:00:00 +0900 First step in collaboration between JICA and USAID in the field of corporate support: "JICA YALI Alumni networking event in Ghana" Event name:JICA YALI Alumni networking event in Ghana Date: May 2, 2023 Sponsors: Co-sponsored by JICA and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Location: Ghana (Accra) http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230502_01.html 2023年5月02日 00:00:00 +0900 President Tanaka Met with King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan On April 11, JICA President Tanaka Akihiko met with His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, in Tokyo. At the opening of the meeting, King Abdullah II expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of JICA. The three then exchanged views on the economic and financial reforms in Jordan and the circumstances of the surrounding regions. President Tanaka expressed JICA’s deep respect for Jordan’s act of taking in many refugees, and mentioned the achievements of cooperation between JICA and Jordan, including those in the field of tourism. He also expressed the agency’s hope to further deepen the various exchanges and initiatives between Jordan and Japan that make use of local cultural assets, looking towards the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/field/2023/20230420_10ey.html 2023年4月20日 00:00:00 +0900