Global Issues & ODA

1. Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan will continue to collaborate with the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), and other relevant institutions to maintain and strengthen the momentum to promote global health, which includes universal health coverage (UHC). Prime Minister Abe highlighted the importance of the role of the World Bank in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and expressed his expectation on the World Bank’s contribution on the successful G20 Japan Summit in 2019 and TICAD 7. Prime Minister Abe valued the policy commitments of IDA18 agreed last year which recognized health agenda as one of the priorities, expressing his expectation on appropriate allocation of resources to the agenda and on firm collaboration with the WHO.

2. In response, Dr. Kim appreciated Prime Minister Abe’s leadership in the field of global health, especially in promoting UHC and mentioned that the World Bank attaches great importance to UHC and is ready to implement policy commitment on the health agenda of the IDA18 in collaboration with Japan and the WHO. Dr. Kim also expressed that the World Bank is eager to support Japan on its G20 presidency and TICAD VII in 2019.