Assistance to Iraq by Japanese Civilians through the ORHA (U.S. Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance)

April 18, 2003

The Government of Japan intends to extend concrete assistance in cooperation with the United Nations, international organizations and the international community including Arab countries, and has already been implementing humanitarian assistance through international organizations. Recently, the Government of Japan decided to provide civilian cooperation to Iraq through the U.S. Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), which plays a central role in the process of Iraq's reconstruction.
The Government of Japan believes that Japanese personnel cooperation through the ORHA will be very effective in playing an active role from the very early stages of humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to Iraq, and in reflecting as much as possible Japan's perspective in the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.

The details of the cooperation are as follows:

(1)	Select candidates from officials of the Foreign Ministry and other ministries, civil experts, and others;
(2)	Dispatch the personnel to Baghdad or other areas where the ORHA operates, if necessary, on an extended business trip basis, by assuring them of diplomatic status (that is, appointing the non-diplomats as diplomats) and have them cooperate with ORHA activities. The cooperation will start as soon as all the coordination and preparations are complete;
(3)	Dispatch four or five people for the time being, and increase the number in response to needs and future changes in the local situation.

Considering local developments, the Government of Japan will dispatch officials of the Japanese Embassy in Iraq to Baghdad as early as possible, and conduct necessary operations including coordination with the ORHA and other relevant organizations, and participation in the political process aiming at establishing a full-fledged government in Iraq.

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