New JICA must demonstrate effectiveness of integrated approach to ODA

New JICA must demonstrate effectiveness of integrated approach to ODA
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is embarking on a fresh start as "New JICA," an organization that will integrate the government's official development assistance (ODA) activities. In addition to assuming responsibility for activities related to technical cooperation undertaken by the old JICA, including technical training programs and the dispatch of experts, New JICA will also absorb the yen-loan division of the former Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and more than half of the grant programs of the Foreign Ministry. New JICA is an important pillar in the effort to reform ODA.



Japan, which had ranked first in the world in 2000 in terms of ODA, had dropped to fifth place by 2007 as a result of its ODA budget being slashed from the latter half of the 1990s. During this time, however, the importance of overseas development assistance was reconfirmed at the international level when the United Nations General Assembly agreed on Millennium Development Goals in 2000. It is against this backdrop that New JICA was launched.

At the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD4) in May and at the Group of Eight Summit Meeting in July, the Japanese government announced that it intended to increase ODA for programs to reduce poverty and to fight global warming. Even in the currently difficult fiscal environment, the government should pay sufficient attention to ODA spending as it compiles the budget for the 2009 fiscal year. By honoring its ODA pledges, the government can play an important role in ensuring that New JICA will implement activities that will be highly regarded around the world. Given these expectations, New JICA needs to produce concrete results.

Integrating loan, grant, and technological cooperation programs under one roof will be a major step forward. While various ministries and agencies will continue to be involved from the planning stage with each new project, New JICA, as the implementing agency, will have a greatly enhanced voice.

Up to now, JICA and JBIC had cooperated in determining the shape of projects. However, due in part to problems stemming from turf wars between supervisory agencies, there was no guarantee that anything the most essential projects would be undertaken. Going forward, the divisions in charge of a particular region will now be able to adopt an all-embracing approach that encompasses loans, grants, and technical cooperation.

At a time when greater international emphasis is being placed on the results that are achieved by assistance programs, merely building facilities and infrastructure with yen loans will no longer be seen as satisfactory. Assistance needs to be directed in a manner that produces tangible results such as the elimination of poverty. Extending grants to technical cooperation programs that train personnel and to related enterprises would be an effective way to boost results.

In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, New JICA can be expected to adopt a forward-looking approach when it turns its attention to Africa. Japan's assistance to Southeast Asia has been lauded for building a foundation for economic development in that region. By applying lessons learned in Southeast Asia, Japan could make a major contribution to Africa. Japan needs to actively pursue development assistance tie-ups with private enterprises involved in exploration development for rare metals and in other activities. If Japan can succeed in lifting the economies of nations that receive aid, this would also benefit the activities of Japanese corporations.

On the occasion of the launching of New JICA, the Overseas Economic Cooperation Council, whose members include the prime minister and foreign minister, must embrace its role in shaping ODA policy. And as the command center for implementing ODA programs, New JICA needs to perform many tasks including establishing the direction of Japanese assistance. The effort to reform ODA is still only halfway complete.

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(Mainichi Japan) October 9, 2008


社説：新ＪＩＣＡ　世界に統合効果を示そう
　日本の政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）を一体で実施する機関が動き出した。専門家派遣や技術研修など技術協力を担ってきた国際協力機構（ＪＩＣＡ）に、旧国際協力銀行（ＪＢＩＣ）の円借款（有償資金協力）部門、外務省の無償資金協力の半分以上を統合した新ＪＩＣＡで、ＯＤＡ改革の重要な柱だ。

　日本のＯＤＡ予算は９０年代後半から削減され、実績も２０００年初頭までの世界一が０７年には５位に落ちている。その一方で、国際的には、００年の国連総会でミレニアム開発目標が合意されたように、援助の重要性が再認識されている。

　そうした中での、新ＪＩＣＡのスタートである。

　政府は５月のアフリカ開発会議（ＴＩＣＡＤ４）や７月の主要国首脳会議などを通じて、貧困削減や温暖化対策などでＯＤＡを増やすことを表明した。厳しい財政状況下ではあるが、政府は国際貢献の観点からも、０９年度予算編成でＯＤＡ予算には十分な配慮を払っていくべきだ。新ＪＩＣＡが国際的にも高い評価の活動を展開できるためには、政府公約の履行が欠かせないのだ。

　この前提の下で、新ＪＩＣＡは具体的な成果を出さなければならない。

　有償、無償、技術協力の３分野を同一機関で実施することは大きな進歩だ。案件ごとに企画立案段階から関係省庁がかかわることはこれまでと変わらないが、実施機関の発言力は格段に大きくなる。

　これまでもプロジェクト形成に際しては、ＪＩＣＡやＪＢＩＣが協力してきた。ただ、所管官庁による縦割りの弊害もあり、本当に必要性の高い案件が取り上げられるとは限らなかった。これからは、有償、無償、技術協力を網羅するそれぞれの地域担当部が総括的に協力していける。

　国際的に援助効果が重視されている中で、円借款で施設やインフラを造るだけでは不十分だ。それが活用され、貧困削減などの効果が表れなければならない。人材育成など技術協力や付随事業などへの無償資金協力は効果を高める上で、有効である。

　また、ミレニアム開発目標の達成のため、今後、援助が増えるアフリカに目を向けた時、新組織は前向きの取り組みが期待できる。日本の東南アジア援助は経済発展の基礎を築いたと評価されている。この教訓をアフリカで生かすことができれば、大きな貢献ができる。レアメタル開発など民間事業と開発援助の連携にも、積極的に取り組んでいくべきだ。被援助国経済の底上げが実現できれば、日本企業の活動にも役立つ。

　これを機に首相、外相らで構成する海外経済協力会議も役割を認識すべきだ。ＯＤＡの司令塔という以上、日本の援助の方向付けなどやることは多い。ＯＤＡ改革は道半ばなのだ。