Newsletter No. 942
News-Analysis
March 16, 2008

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Keely Fahoum (Shingetsu Member No. 112). Fahoum is a West Asia specialist and Arabic linguist located in Washington DC.

JICA REACHES OUT TO SYRIA AND OTHERS IN THE LEVANT REGION

A series of meetings which concluded this week between the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Sadako Ogata and several Levantine political leaders including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Acting Israeli Prime Minister Tzipi Livni, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Jordanian Prince Hassan addressed issues related to Japan's efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, namely JICA's environmental and developmental projects and exchange of technological expertise to encourage development within Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Israel.

JICA's projects within the Levant have focused on the Concept for Creating the Corridor for Peace and Prosperity, an effort to mend the environmental, economic and social rifts between Jordan, Israel, and Palestine and to promote regional agricultural and water systems.

President Ogata's most recent visit to Syria primarily addressed the pressing social, economic, and political concerns caused by the 1.4 million Palestinian and Iraqi refugees in the country. JICA has played a vital role in Syria's civil affairs, and is often cited by sources as one of the most influential and important donors assisting in development and reconstruction in the country. Japan is said to have over sixty experts and volunteers scattered throughout Syria's economic, social, and healthcare organizations. JICA recently secured equipment and services meant to assist the medical field in Syria, granting 168 ambulances to be put into service in 2008.