News from the Field

Mrs. Ogata delivered a keynote lecture at the symposium.

Rarely has the world faced so many daunting challenges all at once and closer cooperation between Japan and Germany will be key to tackling these crises, according to JICA President Mrs. Sadako Ogata.

She addressed a Germany-Japan symposium in Tokyo November 7, the third of its kind since 2005, with the central theme of ‘state building’ in Asia and the role of development assistance and the concept of ‘human security’ in this process.

Mrs. Ogata told the meeting of politicians, scholars, journalists and donors that the two countries had followed a similar road to recovery in the aftermath of World War II, and had employed a similar approach to development assistance—emphasizing economic and social development rather than military assistance.

With similar goals, Japan and Germany were already working closely together, but at a time of unprecedented multiple crises in food, energy, finance and climate change, they should ‘strive to cooperate even more closely, not only with each other, but with regional and international organizations – in the case of Asia with the Association of South East Asian nations (ASEAN) in particular.”

This symposium brougt together more than 200 participants.

“Our aim is to continue to develop joint strategies and tactics and to promote closer partnership in tackling global issues” such as climate change, conflict and civilian insecurity and poverty, she said.

In attempting to tackle the issue of state building no one model fits all countries which are separated by history, geography and ethnic makeup, the JICA President said.

But important lessons could be learned by the recent experience of Indonesia which has successfully emerged from a period of turmoil to record sustained economic growth and where presidential elections were recently held and in Cambodia which has ‘rebounded at a phenomenal pace” after decades of chaos.

Two states which face enormous problems are Iraq and Afghanistan. Mrs. Ogata told her audience of a recent visit to Iraq where it “became clear to me how difficult it is to rebuild a state when it has been destroyed.” She outlined JICA’s efforts in Afghanistan in such fields as agriculture, rural development, health, education and employment projects.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Tsunekawa summarized the symposium discussion.

The role of development assistance in these circumstances was vital, she said, not only in the expertise and financing needed to help build national infrastructures such as roads and ports but also in improving basic services such as schools and clinics at the grassroots level.

The two-pronged approach in turn would strengthen the concept of ‘human security’ – allowing local communities to participate in and achieve the benefits of development aid to enhance both their basic security and social and economic progress.

Following day-long discussions JICA Research Institute Director Prof. Keiichi Tsunekawa summarized the main points of development assistance in state building including: strengthening human security including job creation and vocational training; Regional stability and long-term commitment by key players and the promotion of enlightened leadership.

Going forward, JICA will continue to liaise with the World Bank on the issue and the results of this meeting will be reviewed in the World Development Report 2011 whose special representative, Ms. Sarah Cliffe was also present.