Press Releases
Working Level Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)
On March 10, Japan and Palestine co-hosted a Working-level Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD). This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with in-person participation in Tokyo and online participation. The main objective is to share understanding among CEAPAD partners regarding the future of cooperation and to further strengthen collaboration, as international efforts to rebuild Gaza gain momentum.
- The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. IWAMOTO Keiichi, Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Ms. Laila Sbeih, Assistant Deputy Minister for Aid Coordination and International Cooperation, Ministry of Finance and Planning of Palestine. This round of meeting was held with participation of Japan (host), Palestine (co-host), Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Singapore, Kingdom of Thailand, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA),Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and World Bank.
- At the outset, Ambassador OKUBO Takeshi, Ambassador in charge of Gaza rebuilding Assistance, introduced his own mission and his views on the recent developments in international community concerning Gaza reconstruction. In his turn, Director-General Iwamoto explained Japan's efforts and initiatives in such contexts.
The Palestinian side also provided an explanation on their views and efforts. The Palestinian side also highlighted the importance of CEAPAD as a key platform for strengthening the capacities of Palestinian public institutions through technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and coordinated support among partners.
Based on these presentations, participants shared their views and discussed the cooperation. - In the latter half of the meeting, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also participated in the meeting and discussed future support for Palestine, with a focus on human resource development and capacity building through technical cooperation.
Following the revitalization of CEAPAD and the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan, we reaffirmed Palestine's needs and shared each country's schemes, experiences, and strengths, in order to continue and foster support to Palestine utilizing the strengths of this framework. - Participants confirmed the following points through this meeting
- The cooperation guidelines confirmed in the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan adopted at the fourth Ministerial Meeting (CEAPAD IV) in July last year are consistent and mutually complementary with the current regional and international initiatives, and we will strengthen coordination with these initiatives.
- Leveraging the accumulated cooperation within the CEAPAD framework, we will actively address areas with particularly high demand in the current phase of Gaza reconstruction, such as debris management, unexploded ordnance disposal, security, police, and law enforcement.
- Maintain the momentum of CEAPAD's revitalization and proceed with arrangements for holding a Ministerial Meeting within this year.
(Reference1) The Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)
CEAPAD is a regional conference framework initiated by Japan in 2013 to support the Palestinian state-building efforts by drawing on resources, knowledge, and experiences of economic development of the East Asian countries.
Previous Ministerial Meetings:
- February 2013: 1st Ministerial Meeting (Tokyo)
- March 2014: 2nd Ministerial Meeting (Jakarta)
- June 2018: 3rd Ministerial Meeting (Bangkok)
- July 2025: 4th Ministerial Meeting (Kuala Lumpur)
(Reference2) CEAPAD IV Kuala Lumpur Action Plan 2025
Adopted at the 4th Ministerial Meeting held in July 2025, this plan serves as a guideline for future cooperation between East Asian countries and Palestine, supporting the Palestinian people's state-building efforts. It outlines a guideline for countries to leverage their respective strengths to provide support, focusing on human resource development and capacity building through technical cooperation, in response to Palestine's needs for humanitarian Response in Gaza, Early Recovery and Reconstruction in Gaza, Economic Development and State-Building, and Reforms. It identified areas where CEAPAD members can draw on their own resources, knowledge, and expertise of socio-economic development.