Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2013
(4) Strengthening Functions at the Field Level
In order to strengthen policy dialogue with the recipient governments, Country-based ODA Task Force, consisting of the Japanese embassy and the local offices of JICA and other agencies in each country, has been established in each recipient country of Japan’s ODA. (Note 1) The Task Forces also participate in decision making on ODA policies and rolling plans of aid projects with good understanding on the development needs of the recipient country. The Task Forces also engage in discussions regarding policies with the governments of recipient countries. In addition, the Task Forces work together with other donor countries and international organizations to offer suggestions related to cooperation with different ODA schemes, consider and select candidate projects for Japan’s ODA.
Further, in order to meet a trend of aid coordination* at the field level, including preparation and revision of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)*, Japan began to assign coordinators for economic cooperation at several overseas diplomatic missions since FY 2006. Their role is to collect information and implement research related to aid coordination, to disseminate information on Japan’s ODA policies to other countries, and to make recommendations to the Japanese government from the field.
Glossary
- *Aid coordination
- Aid coordination refers to the sharing of information by multiple donors and cooperation to formulate aid strategy and to plan and implement projects, etc., to improve the impact of assistance. In the past, aid coordination focused on collaboration and coordination between donors on individual projects, but in recent years, comprehensive aid coordination in which donors provide assistance under shared strategy and procedures in accordance with the development policies of the recipient countries has been implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa and other nations around the world.
- *PRSP: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
- A document introduced in 1999 by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a condition for heavily indebted poor countries (poor countries that have an enormous amount of debt) to receive debt relief. It is an action plan for socio-economic development with goals set every three years in the areas of education, healthcare, food security, and other areas, to provide funds not repaid due to debt relief for measures to reduce poverty. The Paper was created incorporating the views of representatives from donor countries, NGOs, research institutes, and the private sector, under the ownership (self-reliant efforts) of the governments of developing countries.
Note 1: Excluding some countries under the direct control of JICA Headquarters.