Press Release

A total of 15 high-ranking Tanzania Government officers are attending a two-week Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) in Japan on Strengthening Decentralization by Devolution (D by D) Implementation in Regional Secretariats and Local Government Authorities, so-called OSAKA Training, aiming to adopt a suitable approach for local economic vitalization.

Under the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), these delegates including four Permanent Secretaries and one Deputy Permanent Secretary from different Ministries, two-Regional Administrative Secretaries, six-Commissioners, and Directors from various Ministries and Local Government Authorities left for Japan on the weekend of the 16 October 2022.

While in Japan, they will share knowledge and experiences with Japanese experts on local government reforms in Tanzania and pay visit to successful Japanese villages with One-Village-One-Product (OVOP) movement. This program will introduce how villagers can use the concept of self-help to add value to what is available in the community, as well as the local government structures needed to make it a reality.

The Permanent Secretary President's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government Prof. Riziki Shemdoe said they plan to learn the OVOP approach and consider applying it to the district level in Tanzania.

"We are 15 high ranking government officers from different Ministries and Local Government Authorities. Our goal is to learn from Japan and later share the approach to our fellow officers and consider applying the concept in our districts," he noted.

JICA Senior Advisor in Governance and Local Administration who are the Training Course Leader Mr. SHIMODA Michiyuki said the OVOP movement has surely changed many Japanese villages from poor to rich status.

"Through the course, Tanzanian officers will get training from two Japanese prominent lecturers on Decentralization and Local government Administration and later visit the lively example villages applying OVOP movement," he said.

In essence, the decentralization process according to him was not at all easy reform, however, beneficial towards Japanese Industrial Development.

Chief Representative of JICA Tanzania Office Mr. YAMAMURA Naofumi said; "We are truly grateful to the Government of Tanzania for its efforts and strong interests to have this program. It is our hope that, the knowledge they are going to attain will provide Tanzania with adequate tools for implementing decentralization and local administration policies,".

The Government Officers Listening to pre-departure orientation at the JICA Tanzania Office.

The group photo of OSAKA Training program attendees and JICA staff during a send-off meeting at JICA Tanzania Office.

Chief Representative of JICA Tanzania Office Mr. Naofumi Yamamura speaking to attendees of OSAKA training at JICA's office.

The Permanent Secretary President's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government Prof. Riziki Shemdoe (Left) and Senior Representative of JICA Asano Seizaburo are listening to the Pre-departure orientation session at the JICA Tanzania Office