by Ayse Emanet, 3 June 2009

Today we attended to a meeting with the Japan international Cooperation Agency (JICA). Mr Kojiro Matsumoto who is the Deputy Resident Representative gave us a brief presentation about JICA. We got lots of information about JICA ‘s establishing aim, main assistance tools, and evaluation of their relations with China from 1972 (normalization of their relations) to today.

JICA has three main assistance tools: Technical Cooperation, ODA Loans, and Grant Aid. JICA’s assistance covers a large area; from Latin America, Middle East, Africa to Far East Asia. Mr Matsumoto was very welcome to our questions about their cooperation.

JICA’s cooperation in China began in 2008. Mr Matsumoto said that since 2008, the Japanese government has been implementing many organizational reforms related with their development assistance.

Although we have read many articles about the development actors around the world, attending a meeting with one of those involved and hearing what their role in the development field from them was very informative for all of us.

After meeting with JICA we met with Global Environmental Institute (GEI). Mr Douglas Whitehead, an officer from the institute gave us information about the Institute. There are four main programmes founding from the institute, which are Biodiversity conservation, Sustainable Rural Development, Energy and Climate change, and Environmental Governance. These programmes mainly focus on finding market models to environmental problems. And the main objective of the institute in China is also developing economically viable solutions to environmental problems by implementing market models.

Mr Douglas said that China being one of the fastest growing economies is creating huge environmental problems in the world. For this reason they are trying to solve these problems without decreasing the income of the native people. Mr Whitehead emphasized that when establishing a project protecting the economic conditions of the native people is very important for the institute.

It was nice to see how non-governmental organizations care about the environmental problems of our world. Moreover it was very important for us to see how seriously the institute feels responsible for creating new job opportunities for the local people while protecting the environment.

During the trip I mostly felt thankful to IDS for organising such a trip since we had many chances to make observation about the country and hear what both native and foreign people think about the Chinese rapid development story.

Images: IDS Students at JICA and GEI