A Message from the President

Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) was established as a public-service foundation in April 1989 for the purpose of assisting appropriate and effective implementation of international cooperation activities mainly in Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) toward developing countries and areas. The target area and field of JICS' operations have gradually expanded and currently JICS handles loan aid programs and projects funded by international organizations in addition to those of grant aid and technical cooperation.

JICS' operations had mainly been focused on procurement of equipment and materials until 2002, when JICS undertook for the first time a project on construction of facilities in relation to the rehabilitation projects for Afghanistan. JICS has since become involved in such cases as the rehabilitation projects for Iraq and the reconstruction projects for the
Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster in the Indian Ocean, thus implementing services including construction of facilities as well as procurement of equipment and materials. Presently, JICS, as a procurement agent of the recipient government under Japan's grant aid projects, implements comprehensive management services of the whole project
consistently by identifying local needs, coordinating among the organizations concerned, managing fund, procuring equipment, materials and services through international competitive bidding, and delivering them safely to the recipient country, or otherwise supervising work progress of the construction of facilities.

Furthermore, JICS has been actively undertaking assistance projects commissioned by international agencies and third countries since 2006, as represented by the project from the ASEAN secretariat for avian flu support measures. We aim to make further efforts to evolve into an international procurement agent by accumulating knowledge and know-how necessary for international procurement and developing human resources within JICS.

On the other side, JICS has started a new donation project along with its NGO support project in order to reinforce JICS' activities on social action. This project offers items (i.e., materials such as maps and globes, sports equipment, and stationery in the case of elementary and junior high schools) that would help manage the facilities, based on the request of those concerned at the completion of the project JICS has been involved in. These may be small gifts but we truly wish them to be of any help to the local people.

JICS aims to contribute to international cooperation activities by carefully grasping various needs in consideration of locals and changing materials and facilities into "real aid in action" as is reflected by JICS' catch phrase.

Amid growing interest among Japanese citizens and the parties concerned toward ODA projects over the years, JICS intends to respond to various challenges and changes promptly and appropriately, tackle the steady implementation of projects for the future and strive to become a more reliable organization both in Japan and abroad. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.

Takahisa Sasaki
President
Japan International Cooperation System
June 2010