The way of international cooperation in post COVID-19 crisis, focusing on geopolitics of the Middle East region - JICA President Kitaoka had a dialogue with Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, senior advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
October 2, 2020
The way of international cooperation in post COVID-19 crisis, focusing on geopolitics of the Middle East region - JICA President Kitaoka had a dialogue with Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, senior advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
On Oct. 2, JICA President KITAOKA Shinichi held an online meeting with Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, senior advisor of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue regarding the influence of the COVID-19 crisis on multilateralism and geopolitics in the Middle East region. Mr. Guéhenno has been one of the members of JICA's International Advisory Board (IAB) since 2017.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Kitaoka asked Mr. Guéhenno to give his opinion on the COVID-19's influence on vulnerable people such as refugees and internally displaced people, and on geopolitics in the Middle East region.
In response, Mr. Guéhenno gave an analysis and his insights as follows:
(1) Vulnerable people have relatively greater negative impact from the COVID-19 crisis;
(2) The COVID-19 crisis accelerates the existing change in geopolitics; and
(3) Multilateralism and international cooperation are threatened by the COVID-19 crisis.
Also, he made suggestions to JICA as to how it might offer support in a broad area beyond the field of health and medicine, such as through international collaboration in vaccine provision to developing countries, by providing an environment where the next generation can receive education securely, by assisting with reliable data collection required for policy decisions, and in developing new business like ICT.
In addition, Mr. Guéhenno and other participants had a very active exchange of views on various themes like the role of non-state actors including the private sector, and geopolitics in the Middle East region.
At the end, President Kitaoka and Mr. Guéhenno agreed to continue this type of open-minded dialogue.