GRIPS Development Forum Seminar 
''Fostering True Ownership in Developing Countries--Based on the Experiences of Japanese and Nordic Assistance in Asia''

(May 2008) GRIPS Development Forum hold the seminar on May 22 (Thu). The main objective of this seminar is to discuss ownership from multi-dimensional perspectives and to draw implications for how donor assistance could contribute to fostering true ownership in developing countries. The seminar was built on the findings of a recent research project, which analyzed Japanese and Nordic aid experiences in Asia, with special attention to aid relations.

For the academic result of this project, please refer to the book (published from Palgrave, December 2007), Aid Relationships in Asia—Exploring Ownership in Japanese and Nordic Aid, edited by Alf Morten Jerve, Yasutami Shimomura, and Annette Skovsted Hansen. CLICK<<<

UK (London) Mission Report

(4-8 March 2008) Prof. Kenichi Ohno, Prof. Izumi Ohno and Elumba Jean Denis N. (Senior Research Associate ) visited London to; 1) launch a book titled “Diversity and Complementarity in Development Aid: East Asian Lessons for African Growth” that aims to promote a UK-Japan dialogue on aid effectiveness in developing countries, 2) learn about the UK’s assistance for African growth, 3) understand the methodology of “Growth Diagnostics”. UK officials and researchers showed deep interest in our recent researches and activities. MORE (UK Mission Report by Elumba Jean Denis N. PDF file, 134KB)

Mozambique Mission Report

(14-24 February 2008) Prof. Ohno was invited by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to deliver presentations at two workshops on the theme “Economic Development of the Nacala Development Corridor: Learning from the Experiences of Vietnam”  in Mozambique. Elumba Jean Denis N. was also dispatched by GRIPS to join Prof. Kenichi Ohno on a fact-finding mission to Mozambique on the same itinerary. In addition, we met key stakeholders responsible for economic development planning to learn how policy dialogue is coordinated within the government and between the government and the private sector, in order to understand the strategic importance of the Nacala Development Corridor within the broader framework of the national economic development plan of Mozambique. MORE (Mozambique Mission Report by Elumba Jean Denis N. PDF file, 93KB)

Diversity and Complementarity in Development Aid:　East Asian Lessons for African Growth  

(February 2008) GRIPS Development Forum published an ODA policy report which serves as the conceptual basis for Japan-UK partnership, in collaboration with ODI in London. This report higlights comparative advantages of Japan and UK as donors and argue for their collaboration based on differences and complementarity. The report also provides ideas for concretizing growth initiatives in developing countries, especially in Africa. The report is offered as an intellectual input to the 2008 events to be hosted by Japan, especially the TICAD IV and G8 Summit. We believe that the principles advanced here should be applicable to all donors, NGOs and business enterprises engaged in the task of development. The chapters in this report are contributed by Japanese and UK researchers and policymakers, as well as Malaysian and Ugandan experts. MORE(synthesis, pdf file, 25KB). MORE

ODA Manifesto—30 Proposals for Enhanced International Cooperation, by the Group for    Renovating Japanese ODA                        

（pdffile,321KB)

(February 2008) A multi-stakeholder group of Japanese professionals from diverse backgrounds, including politics, media, business, NGOs, academia, government, and aid implementing agencies gathered voluntarily in a personal capacity, sharing a sense of crisis in the current state of Japan’s ODA. The group intensively discussed how to renovate Japan’s ODA in the
immediate future, i.e., what is wrong with the Japanese ODA, what should be improved, and what actions should be taken with a common awareness of the issue. The group met twelve times between July 2006 and October 2007, and on the basis of the discussions, formulated a set of specific policy proposals (ODA Manifesto). This is the first, major multi-stakeholder effort to formulate a concrete ODA reform proposal. We now wish to present this Manifesto to many citizens interested in ODA, as well as related parties in the legislative and executive branches of the Government, and act to renovate Japan’s ODA. MORE(pdf file, 321KB)