TANAKA Akihiko

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed March 27 at Malacanang Palace, in Manila, the Philippines, by the chairs of a peace panel from the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Benigno Simeon Aquino III, right, Philippine President, shakes hands with Japan International Cooperation Agency President Akihiko Tanaka.

The agreement paves the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Government in 2016.

The signing ceremony was attended by Philippine President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, MILF Chair Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, other people involved in the peace process, and stakeholders from abroad.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Toshinao Urabe and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka was among those who witnessed the historic event.

On March 28, Tanaka met Aquino and Murad individually to exchange opinions on further challenges for lasting peace and expected assistance from the international community.


In order to enhance an environment that enables peace between the central government and the MILF, Japanese assistance since 2006 has focused on the following three initiatives: (i) the dispatch of experts to the Social and Economic Development Component of the International Monitoring Team; (ii) implementation of grassroots-level projects through the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD); and, (iii) political level support to the International Contact Group (ICG), which attended the peace talks as an observer.

Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, left, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, shakes hands with Japan International Cooperation Agency President Akihiko Tanaka.

JICA congratulates the Philippine government and the MILF for this milestone agreement, which is a chance to move closer to genuine peace and sustained prosperity.

It is JICA's sincere desire to keep assisting conflict-affected areas through support for institution building and human resources development by the new Bangsamoro Government, improvement of people’s livelihoods, and enhancement of mid- and long-term regional development.