New and old threats strain lives and livelihoods

The Middle East is still beset by turmoil after the Arab Spring and is experiencing the rise of compounded crises such as (1) stagnant civil wars in Yemen, Syria, and Libya; (2) the protracted refugee situation in countries neighboring Syria; (3) delay in the economic and social recovery from the pandemic; (4) adverse effects of the Ukraine conflict on the economy and people’s lives; and (5) increased water scarcity due to climate change.

In Europe, the Russian aggression against Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on Ukraine and neighboring countries. The powerful earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria in February 2023 caused immense damage not only to local residents but also to many refugees in these two countries.

Immediate and longer-term cooperation

Against this backdrop, in fiscal 2022 JICA delivered immediate and longer-term cooperation toward the region. Such cooperation had two pillars: (1) strategic cooperation to address the triple crises (the geopolitical crisis, the COVID-19 crisis, and the climate change crisis); and (2) cooperation that shares Japan’s policy and development experience as well as good practices unique to Japan.

For Europe, JICA addressed the geopolitical crisis by extending cooperation toward Ukraine. This involved budget support for the Ukrainian government; the provision of water purifiers, power generators, and other equipment that supported citizens’ daily lives; and the launch of activities aimed at clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance with an eye on medium- and long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts. For neighboring Moldova, JICA provided cooperation that benefited both displaced people from Ukraine and local residents in health and other sectors. For the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, JICA dispatched a Japan Disaster Relief team immediately after the earthquake, and also provided cooperation in recovery and reconstruction efforts.

For the Middle East, JICA made its first loan to the Bank of Palestine with the aim of supporting small and medium enterprises and creating employment. JICA also provided budget support to the Jordanian government, which is accepting many Syrian refugees. In Iraq, JICA cooperated with a project to refine high-quality oil products that meet environmental regulations utilizing Japanese technology.

Cooperation for Middle Eastern countries also involved strengthening human capital and providing equipment aimed at reinforcing national health care and social security systems whose vulnerabilities had been exposed by the pandemic. Some examples include support for the promotion of universal health coverage (UHC) in Egypt, the expansion of social security for the vulnerable in Tunisia, and measures for the disposal of infectious waste in Palestine. To help the region address climate change, JICA studied how it can contribute in this sector and is working on relevant capacity-building at the national level.

To support these countries by sharing Japan’s development experience and good practices unique to Japan, JICA contributed to the further cultivation of future leaders who can foster a long-lasting bilateral relationship between each country and Japan by, for example, rolling out the JICA Chair in 12 countries in the region. In Egypt, JICA supported capacity-building for teachers involved in Japanese-style education and is deploying Japanese-style education with 51 Egyptian Japanese Schools* across the country serving as hubs for such deployment.

*The number as of March 2023.

Ukraine: Japanese construction machinery provided to local governments in the country. JICA capitalizes on the expertise in recovery and reconstruction that Japan has accumulated through the Great East Japan Earthquake and other disasters to deliver cooperation in capacity-building for debris clearance.

Note: For the total value of JICA programs, see the note on “Programs by Region” on page 37. Totals may not add up due to rounding.