Ms. KAWAI Natsuki, Nutrition Officer at UNICEF Senegal, a Japanese staff member working as a Junior Professional Officer (JPO) since 2023, inspecting nutrition monitoring activities for local children in the area supported by UNICEF in the Louga region of northern Senegal (Photo: UNICEF Senegal)

To implement effective and strategic development cooperation, it is essential to secure and foster human resources with advanced knowledge of development challenges, as well as public understanding and support.

The Government of Japan has set a target of 1,000 Japanese working for UN-related agencies by 2025. To this end, in collaboration with universities and Japan offices of international organizations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) actively recruits, trains and supports Japanese nationals who can play active roles on the global stage.Note 32 As mentioned in the recommendations made by the Advisory Board for ODA, considering the development of global human resources, including those engaged in development cooperation, as an urgent issue, the government organizes seminars in and outside of Japan to explain the recruitment system of international organizations to students at secondary and higher educational institutions and professionals already employed. Recently, seminars mainly take place online, allowing incumbent Japanese staff of international organizations to remotely participate and share their experiences. Also, among other things, the government produces videos and holds seminars featuring senior officials and human resources experts from international organizations.

Moreover, the Government of Japan offers the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme, supporting Japanese professionals who pursue careers in international organizations, including those engaged in the area of international development (see “Japanese Personnel at International Organizations Playing Active Roles on the Front Lines across the World” for the activities of a Japanese staff member at an international organization, and “Stories from the Field 6” for an introduction of a staff member of an international organization sponsored under the JPO Programme). MOFA has sent a cumulative total of over 1,900 JPOs, 64 of whom were sent in FY2022. In addition, MOFA implements the “Program for Global Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding and Development.Note 33

Through the Participatory Network for Expert Recruitment (PARTNER)Note 34 website, JICA centrally distributes information on international cooperation (such as recruitment and various training and seminar opportunities) undertaken by a wide range of actors such as ministries, agencies, JICA, NGOs, international organizations, companies, and universities. It also provides services such as human resources registration services and career counseling. Furthermore, JICA offers internships to graduate students and others who conduct research closely related to development cooperation and are willing to play an active role in this field in the future. JICA also engages competent professionals with extensive work experience in developing countries through the Senior Advisor System while administering the Associate Experts Program and the Capacity Enhancement Training in support of human resources development.

The JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development analyzes and synthesizes knowledge gained in the field of development cooperation, provides comprehensive feedback to JICA projects, and makes recommendations on the utilization of technology in the digital transformation field, thereby contributing to the realization of human security, the achievement of the SDGs, and the development of human resources.