The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been restructured and is now the sole provider of the country's official development assistance (ODA). Previously, aid was also provided by the Japanese foreign ministry and the Japan bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The new-style JICA is now reputedly the world's largest bilateral development agency, with around US$ 10.3 billion (€ 7.5 billion) in financial resources. Despite losing its position as the leading overall bilateral donor in the last decade, Japan still leads the field in the water and sanitation sector, providing US$ 5.5 billion (€ 4 billion) of ODA in the five years between 2002 and 2006. [1]

The leading concept in JICA's programmes is ‘human security’, which focuses on a ‘bottom up’, grassroots approach, giving local citizens and communities a greater say and role in education, health and economic projects which directly benefit them.

[1] Japan's efforts towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, September 2008

Related news: Pakistan, Northern Areas: Japan signs agreement to fund water supply schemes, Source South Asia, 02 Oct 2008

Source: JICA, 01 Oct 2008

Tags: financing, sanitation, water supply