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The partnership between Japan and UNDP has strengthened over the years, and it is envisaged that the year 2008 will turn out to be a milestone in the history of UNDP-Japan relations.  This year, Japan will host the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) in May and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July. Japan considers UNDP a key partner in bringing out a success in both of these important events.  This is evident in Japan’s recent decision to provide UNDP with a grant totaling approximately US$137 million – the biggest contribution from Japan to UNDP’s other resources for the recent years.  Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura informed the UNDP Administrator, Kemal Derviş, of this decision when the latter visited Japan mainly to launch the Human Development Report 2007/2008 in Japan at a symposium commemorating the 10th anniversary of the adoption of Kyoto Protocol held in Kyoto.  Climate change will be one of the main issues dealt with at both TICAD IV and the 2008 G8 Summit.

The grant of US$137 million transferred to UNDP on 12 March will support reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan, peacekeeping support programme in Africa and response to humanitarian crisis and peace-building in Africa with particular focus on the African countries vulnerable to climate change.

The grant has made the total contribution from Japan to the UNDP’s other resources to approximately US$162 million for the first quarter of 2008.  Japan has contributed approximately US$3 million, US$5 million, and US$17 million to UNDP projects in three member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone –  , Sri Lanka and Iraq, respectively, in February/March 2008.  

The details of the projects are as follows:

1. Humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan: Total $25 million
- National Area-based Development Programme ($15 million)
- Law and Order Trust Fund ($10 million)

2. Peacekeeping support programme: Total $16 million
- Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, etc.

3. Response to humanitarian crisis and peace building in Africa with focus on countries vulnerable to climate change: Total $96 million

4. Others: Total $25 million
- ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme – Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone ($3 million)
- Sri Lanka: Livelihood Development Programme in Conflict-affected areas ($5 million)
- Iraq – “Establishment of a Maternity and Children’s Hospital” ($17 million)