Focus on Mekong
The countries of Southeast Asia enjoy a rich history and stunning cultural landmarks such as the temples of Angkor in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar. But constant political and military upheavals have resulted in uneven development in recent decades. Major infrastructure projects such as roads, ports, bridges and airports, planned and partially financed by JICA, are helping forge sustained economic growth and closer regional cooperation. Other JICA programs range from health projects to help the most vulnerable groups of people, training courses to produce new groups of local experts and administrators, programs to tackle climate change and environmental degradation and to a new urban master plan for the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi to help it celebrate its forthcoming 1,000th anniversary.
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The Mekong: Rich in History and Culture but Facing Daunting Challenges.
The Mekong region is rich in history and culture…and also conflict. Japan for many years has been closely involved in helping the five Mekong countries achieve their potential with various projects.
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Roads, Bridges, Ports and People
During the Indochina war, parts of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia suffered the most severe aerial bombing in history with the aim of destroying roads, bridges, ports and factories. Today, infrastructure is being rebuilt and expanded to help the economic regeneration of the Mekong region.
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Where Have All the Forests, Water Gone?
Southeast Asia is rich in natural resources. But burgeoning populations, industrial and farming exploitation are causing major problems and depletion in some areas. A major focus of JICA assistance is to help preserve and exploit on a sustainable basis these invaluable assets.
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JICA Forges Closer Links with ASEAN
The Japan International Cooperation Agency has been forging closer links with the 10-Nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the five states of the Mekong region.
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Avoiding Past Mistakes – Saving Billions of Dollars
The world is awash with billions of dollars worth of failed development projects known as 'white elephants'. A major cause of their collapse was often that they were unsustainable once donors left. Projects are afoot to avoid those old mistakes.
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Hanoi – Putting on a New Face
When the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi celebrates its 1,000th birthday next year, it hopes to be wearing a new face. It has grown from a small, sleepy colonial outpost into a massive city literally bursting at its seams and JICA has helped to draw up a master plan for the city's future orderly development.
