(2) Securing the Safety Measures for People Involved in International Cooperation Projects
©SAITO Takao
Ensuring the safety of not only JICA-related workers but also all people involved in international cooperation projects, such as companies and NGOs, is a prerequisite for the implementation of development cooperation centered on ODA projects. In 2021, as a response to the global spread of COVID-19, MOFA and JICA continued to support the travel of people involved in international cooperation projects, including Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) who work on development cooperation on the ground in countries around the world.
Furthermore, following the terrorist attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh in July 2016, the “Final Report” Note 23 was released as the outcome of the review by the Council on Safety Measures for International Cooperation Projects, in which the relevant ministries, agencies, government-related organizations and experts participated. MOFA and JICA have made efforts to implement the safety measures Note 24 mentioned in the Final Report, and also continue and enhance actions to ensure the effectiveness of safety measures for people involved in international cooperation projects. The Council has become permanent after the Final Report and the Council in 2021 discussed the safety risks of the people involved in international cooperation projects as well as the implementation of the projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of terrorism, political instability and COVID-19.
The risk of terrorism remains serious even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, MOFA released an expanded edition of “Golgo 13’s Security Guidelines for Japanese SMEs Abroad (in Japanese only),” which has been utilized to strengthen safety measures of Japanese nationals, including those involved in international cooperation projects, with an additional episode and commentary on how to tackle “multiple risks” such as terrorism amid an infectious disease pandemic. MOFA has posted the episodes on its website and printed additional copies of the expanded edition of the Guidelines.
After the fall of Kabul in August 2021, the Government of Japan has provided support, including issuing visas and helping arrange flight tickets, to Japanese nationals in Afghanistan, local staff of the Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan and of the JICA Afghanistan office, and others under the recognition that the safe evacuation of all people who wish to leave the country was an urgent issue. As a result of these efforts, a total of over 500 Afghan people with ties to Japan had arrived safely in Japan by the end of January 2022. The Government of Japan will continue to exert all efforts to ensure the safety and provide necessary assistance in leaving Afghanistan for Japanese nationals, local staff members, and others who remain in Afghanistan, while closely cooperating with relevant countries including the United States and Qatar.
- Note 23: https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/page22_000141.html
- Note 24: The following five points are listed as new safety measures: (i) Strengthening the collection, analysis, and sharing of threat information, (ii) Code of conduct of project partners and NGOs, (iii) Physical and non-physical protective measures, and strengthening training and drills, (iv) Post-crisis response, and (v) Heightening crisis management awareness and improving organizational structure of the MOFA and the JICA.