Pakistan, Japan sign $2.2m grant agreement to strengthen civil servants’ training

Pakistan and Japan on Tuesday signed a 350 million Japanese yen ($2.2 million) grant agreement to strengthen the Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme (JDS) and expand training opportunities for Pakistani civil servants, the Economic Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, the agreement, signed in Islamabad, would provide scholarships for 17 federal civil servants to pursue postgraduate studies in Japan, including 16 master’s degrees and one PhD.

Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Hameer Karim and Japanese Ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi signed the Record of Discussions, while Senior Joint Secretary Miran Mohiuddin Soomro and JICA Chief Representative Yusuke Shinazaki signed the grant agreement.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Japanese Embassy, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The JDS programme, which aims to enhance the professional capacity of government officials, has benefited eight batches of Pakistani civil servants since its launch in 2018, according to the ministry.

Japan also regularly invites Pakistani government officials to participate in short-term training courses under its capacity-building initiatives.

Speaking at the ceremony, Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Hameer Karim thanked the Japanese government and people for their continued support and efforts to promote meaningful bilateral cooperation.

Read: PM Shehbaz seeks expanded JICA cooperation in skills, minerals and SME development

The Japanese ambassador and JICA chief representative reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries.

JICA cooperation

The grant agreement followed JICA’s recent engagement with the government, during which both sides discussed expanding development cooperation in key sectors.

During a meeting with a nine-member JICA delegation led by its President, Dr Tanaka Akihiko, on August 5, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for greater cooperation in skills development, mineral exploration and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s economic reforms had laid the foundation for sustainable growth and identified skills training, employment opportunities, women’s empowerment and development of the minerals sector as key priorities.

Dr Akihiko said JICA was ready to expand cooperation in health, education, urban and rural development, technical and vocational training and industrial development.

Earlier, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema had held talks with Dr Akihiko on infrastructure, connectivity and technical assistance. Cheema invited JICA to participate in financing the Main Line-1 railway project alongside the Asian Development Bank and other development partners.

He also sought JICA’s assistance in improving internet infrastructure in rural areas and conducting feasibility studies for major development projects.

Dr Akihiko said feasibility studies were among JICA’s core strengths and expressed the agency’s willingness to support such initiatives. The two sides also discussed cooperation in skills training and promoting tourism through the preservation of Gandhara heritage sites.