GDN-Japan Organized a Seminar on Results & Perspective of the Busan HLF4

The Global Development Network (GDN) is a worldwide network of policy and research institutes involved in international cooperation and development. A seminar hosted by one of its regional network partners, GDN-Japan, was held on December 9 at JICA-RI, which serves as the hub organization for GDN Japan.

Three experts who attended the Forth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4) held in Busan, Korea gave presentations at this seminar titled "Busan High Level Forum: Its Outcomes and Prospects."

Mr. Keiichi Yokota, director of the Development Assistance Policy Planning Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, kicked off the seminar and pointed out that a key accomplishment of the HLF-4 was that participating countries and international organizations achieved to agree on common development goals of shared principles, including ownership, focus on results, inclusive development partnerships, and transparency and mutual accountability. The outcome document has also been agreed on by emerging countries with rapidly increasing influence such as China and India, and the new global partnership framework can broaden with their commitment to participate. Mr. Yokota acknowledged this as a major progress.

Mr. Hiroshi Sato of the Institute of Developing Economies at Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) followed with a comment on strong arguments and eager attitudes of Korean and Chinese researchers at "Pre-HLF4 Conference: Toward a Global Compact for Development Effectiveness,” an academic conference held the day before the HLF-4. The director general of the Research Promotion Department of IDE-JETRO emphasized the importance of reinforcing ties and research networks with East Asian countries and boosting Japan's ability to disseminate its research outcomes.

Director Akio Hosono of JICA-RI wrapped up the seminar with an overall evaluation of the HLF-4 by referring to the high level of interest in South-South/triangular cooperation among attending countries and organizations as one of the main highlights of the forum. The significance of this development scheme is also confirmed in the outcome document. In closing, Director Hosono stressed that JICA-RI will expedite South-South/triangular cooperation study, which is one of the research themes, to further promote its effectiveness.