ASEAN, JICA enter into cooperation

Sat, 07/19/2008 11:02 AM  |  World

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have agreed to cooperate in a number of programs, including alleviating poverty and narrowing the development gap between ASEAN countries and Japan.

In a recent ASEAN press release sent to The Jakarta Post, ASEAN's secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said the two agencies would cooperate in addressing a package of issues, including transnational ones of environmental degradation, maritime safety and piracy, drug trafficking, infectious diseases and terrorism.

The cooperation would also entail improved transportation infrastructure, customs procedures and roadway regulations as well as enhancing capacity in peace building, stability and postconflict reconstruction.

JICA's president Sadako Ogata said the agency would post an expert at the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta to carry out consultations and to coordinate joint activities.

JICA, founded in 1974, is an aid implementing agency providing technical cooperation and other forms of assistance to countries around the world under the Japanese foreign ministry's Official Development Assistance.

Southeast Asia is a priority region that can greatly affect Japan's security and prosperity. The region covers an area of 4.497 million square kilometers, and is inhabited by 530 million people.

"There will be annual consultations on development assistance between JICA and ASEAN, who also agreed to undertake periodic assessments and other types of missions to identity potential areas of cooperation," Surin said in the release.

ASEAN, which was established in 1967, consists of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Timor Leste is the only country in the region that has yet to be admitted into the grouping.

-- JP/Lilian Budianto

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