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Senior Research Fellow Akio Hosono Shares Insights at the Workshop on Capacity Development and Infrastructure

2011.02.28

DayFebruary 17, 2011(Thu) - February 18, 2011(Fri)
PlaceSOAS, London, UK
OrganizerThe School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and JICA

JICA and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London hosted a workshop on correlation between capacity development (CD) and infrastructure at SOAS in London, UK on February 17 and 18, 2011. Senior Research Fellow Akio Hosono from JICA-RI took part in the workshop and gave a presentation titled "Inside the Black Box of CD" in front of more than 100 attendees.

First, Hosono explained five imperative factors of CD process: ownership, or a sense of participation as an interested party; mutual learning and problem solution; environment and system such as legislation; strategy for scaling-up; and donor aid. Then he, from a CD perspective, introduced specific JICA-involved cases such as disaster prevention initiatives in Latin America and an urban development project in Colombia. He said, "CD plays an important role in economic development. We should take an initiative in incorporating CD in international assistance," putting an emphasis on the need to mainstream CD into aid strategies.

Four more researchers from Japan spoke including Chief Representative of the JICA UK office Kimiaki Jin (on "The Value of Technical Cooperation and its Potential Synergy with Financial Assistance"); Professor Kenichi Ohno of the National Graduate Institute For Policy Studies (GRIPS) (on "Industrial Policy in Africa: What Africa Can Learn from East Asia"); Professor Yasutami Shimomura of Hosei University (on "Infrastructure Construction Experiences in East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparative Study for Mutual Leaning"); and Professor Koji Fujimoto of Takushoku University (on "Indonesia Case Study of Infrastructure Development - The Brantas River Basin Development Project").

In sessions between presentations, participants engaged in discussions from various perspectives. Many of them pointed out how indispensable CD is in integrating infrastructure into economic development, or how important infrastructure is in CD-based economic development. Together with the presenters, the audience confirmed CD and infrastructure as two vital wheels of economic development.

Titled as "Workshop on Aid and Development in Asia and Africa: The Role of Infrastructure and Capacity Development in East Asian Growth and its Implications for African Development," it aimed to share JICA's approaches to development assistance which have kept putting a high value on CD in recipient countries, and to examine how it can be implemented in assisting Africa.

Related Research Area: Aid Strategies

Related Research Project: Revisiting the Capacity Development Approach through Comparative Case Analysis