2006.07.03 up
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has considered how official development assistance (ODA) should be managed in the future, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). In response to the proposals made in the final report of the Task Force on International Economic Cooperation (28 February 2006), the organic law of the JICA will be amended and, after the fiscal year 2008/2009, the institution will be the sole organization in charge of the provision of ODA, consisting of technical cooperation, loan aid and grant aid. In June 2006, the results of the consideration were finalized in the form of the paper entitled The Establishment of the Structures for the Provision of ODA in the New Era (Principles of the Structural Design of the New JICA)
The paper indicates the significance of the establishment of the new structures, the direction of the new JICA and guidelines for concrete actions to be taken. It states that the integration of various forms of ODA should be undertaken in accordance with the following three principles: (a) efficiency and mobility, (b) synergy and (c) integrity. Specific issues for consideration include new ways of management of tasks and human resources, organizational arrangements and treatment of the headquarters and overseas offices as well as the formulation of integrated guidelines for environment, which will facilitate clearer procedures in recipient countries.
On the other hand, the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC), the ODA Reform Network and other NGOs issued Joint Proposals from International Cooperation NGOs on the Dissection of the JICA and the Integration of ODA in February 2006. In the proposals, they called for (a) being loyal to the principles against war, violence and armament, (b) respecting and promoting the agency of civil society, (c) acting on the basis of human rights and "human security" and (d) making efforts for the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Source:
· Final report of the Task Force on International Economic Cooperation (Japanese)
· The Establishment of the Structures for the Provision of ODA in the New Era (Principles of the Structural Design of the New JICA)
· Joint Proposals from International Cooperation NGOs on the Dissection of the JICA and the Integration of ODA
See also:
· Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Japan's ODA Website (English)
· JICA Website