May 11, 2017
On April 19, 2017, Naohiro Kitano, director of the JICA Research Institute (JICA-RI), spoke at the third annual Global Development Forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. Kitano emphasized the importance of capacity development in promoting technology and innovation.
JICA-RI and the CSIS have been conducting a two-year joint research project on transformative innovation contributing to development since 2015.
The aim of the 2017 Global Development Forum was to discuss the role and objective of ODA against the backdrop of youth unemployment and other complex problems in many parts of the world. Daniel F. Runde, director of the Project on Prosperity and Development, and other speakers with diverse backgrounds spoke at a session, and discussed the role of workforce development in economic development with participants.
Kitano spoke at the breakout session on Technology and Innovation, and emphasized the importance of capacity development. He introduced JICA projects, such as creating a platform for young people in Rwanda who want to start businesses using ICT, and joint project with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of a smartphone app enabling refugees in Jordan to use a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Handbook.
On April 20, Kitano also participated as a guest speaker at a lecture, “Foreign Aid in Tiger Economy,” held at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University by Jin Sato, visiting fellow at JICA-RI, and visiting professor at Princeton University. Kitano explained how Japan’s development experience has been shared with China, ASEAN countries and Africa, in addition to Japan’s efforts to address the SDGs, and the current status and challenges of China’s economic cooperation. After the presentation, he took questions from students in attendance.
On April 21 and 22, Kitano also participated in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, and met with many related parties during his trip.
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