Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2009
2. Friends of Democratic Pakistan Ministerial Meeting and Pakistan Donors Conference
Pakistan hosted a Friends of Democratic Pakistan Ministerial Meeting and Japan and the World Bank co-hosted a Pakistan Donors Conference in Tokyo on April 17, 2009, with 31 countries and 18 international organizations in attendance. At the meetings, President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan expressed his clear resolve to undertake serious efforts to implement counter-terrorism measures and economic reform. In response, participating countries and organizations pledged unified support to Pakistan of over US$5 billion in total over the next two years. Japan pledged to extend up to US$1 billion in assistance to Pakistan, premised on the steady implementation of the IMF program. (Note 7) In extending this aid, Japan intends to undertake swift assistance for the poor affected by the economic crisis while also providing assistance to enhance the Government of Pakistan's capacity to implement economic reforms.
As part of its counter-terrorism measures, the Government of Pakistan began military operations for the clean-up of armed insurgents in Swat and its neighboring areas from the end of April 2009. However, this led to an outflow of many residents to neighboring regions as internally displaced persons (IDPs). Japan perceived IDP assistance as a pressing issue, and in June 2009, in response to appeals for emergency humanitarian assistance from the United Nations, Japan provided emergency grant aid of US$10 million in funds for the distribution of emergency foods and non-food supplies in partnership with international organizations.
In addition, at the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Trieste, the G8 Meeting on Afghanistan and the Regional Dimension with the Neighbouring Countries, Regional Players and International Organisations, and the G8 meeting of the Support Group for Afghanistan-Pakistan, which were held in June 2009, the G8 members concurred on the importance of continuing to provide assistance for the stability and development of Pakistan, as well as on the importance of the steady and early implementation of the commitments made at the Pakistan Donors Conference in April 2009.
At the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Summit-Level Meeting held in September 2009, the importance for the international community to support the counter-terrorism measures of Pakistan was confirmed at the Summit level. With a view to supporting Pakistan's counter-terrorism measures, Japan pledged to contribute approximately US$47 million.
In the New Strategy to Counter the Threat of Terrorism unveiled in November 2009, Japan expressed its intention to swiftly implement the assistance of up to US$1 billion over two years that it pledged in April 2009. Japan will support the sustainable and stable development of Pakistan, through assistance for economic growth, such as infrastructure development and the improvement of the energy sector including electricity; assistance for macroeconomic reforms; assistance for the improvement of people's livelihood in the field of poverty reduction; and assistance for the stability of people's livelihood in regions such as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
Notes:
(7) In November 2008, it was decided that Pakistan will receive approximately US$7.6 billion in assistance from the IMF. In receiving this assistance, Pakistan will be implementing an IMF program which aims to stabilize the country's macroeconomy, including the economy and finance, and making progress on its economic reforms.