“The Development of a Country Relies on the Development of its People,” Says JICA Chief Representative in Iran.

Mr. TANAKA Osamu is the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Iran Office since December 2022. He is an international cooperation professional with a 25-year experience in development cooperation and humanitarian aid. He joined JICA in 1999 and has worked for socio-economic development throughout his professional career, especially in the Middle East region. Mr. TANAKA also spearheaded a JICA-led initiative, the Initiative for Food and Nutrition for Africa to improve the nutritional status across Africa. In the humanitarian field, he served for Palestine refugees at United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East as a senior external relations officer developing the relations with Asian governments and civil societies.

AVA Diplomatic’s Exclusive Interview with Mr. TANAKA Osamu,

Chief Representative of JICA in Iran

What are the goals and vision of JICA in Iran?

Our goal is to help the Iranian people live their desired lives and to achieve sustainable development.

JICA, the world’s largest bilateral development cooperation agency, serves as a bridge between Japan and Iran and has been steadily expanding its cooperation in the form of technical cooperation, grant aid, loans and by combination of those so that our Iranian counterparts can strengthen their capacities in different areas such as economy, disaster risk reduction, health, environment, water resource management, agriculture, climate change and so on.

What have been the most significant achievements of JICA in Iran over the years of its operation?

Over the past 50 years, in cooperation with our partners, we implemented more than 100 successful cooperation projects and provided around 700 training programs which have undoubtedly had a significant impact on improvement the capacity of Iranian counterparts as policy makers and also could bring many benefits to the people and local communities who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the projects.

What have been the most important implemented projects of JICA in Iran in recent years?

All projects are equally important because they are all contributing to the better life of the people in Iran.

Having that said, if I have to pick up some of them as examples, I would choose the grant aid in the health sector. Within the framework of “Improvement of Medical Equipment in Tehran City”, JICA is currently equipping hospitals in Tehran with the latest model of medical equipment for quality medical services for the people and to save lives.

In the Karoon river basin, JICA supported a project for environmental conservation between 2018 and 2023.

Japan’s experience, such as improving the livelihoods of the residents through the effective use of local resources, environmental conservation mechanisms in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, environmental monitoring methods, environmental education and so on was introduced for sustainable environmental protection.

Japan is, like Iran, a disaster-prone country. Since Japan has experienced countless natural disasters, we have a number of valuable lessons to be used in Iran. I am proud of our 25-year long cooperation in strengthening Tehran’s disaster risk reduction capacity.

In the technical cooperation projects on improvement in the waste management and air pollution control over the past decade, JICA has shared Japan’s knowledge and experiences in institutional design and environmental monitoring methods, which has been highly appreciated by the Iranian counterparts.

All of these are directly related to the lives of the people.

What impact have these projects had on the economic, social, and cultural development of Iran?

JICA has been playing a significant role in promoting economic, social and cultural development in Iran through its projects, and it might not be possible to review the impacts of all the projects one by one in this interview. But let me narrow down the projects to a few categories as an example. Some common impacts include:

Economic Development:

Capacity Building for Growth and Productivity: JICA supports human resource development, providing training programs and technical assistance that strengthen local expertise and contribute to economic growth and productivity. We have been conducting different types of training programs to raise the capacity of Iranian partners. Thanks to the infinite efforts of my colleagues and counterparts, we have managed to provide this opportunity to 3,880 Iranian people so far.

Infrastructure Improvement: JICA has been contributing to economic growth by improving transportation and energy. As an example, JICA has supported to upgrade Iran’s capacity of electric power supply to meet the rapidly increasing demand for power through the Masjid-e-Soleiman hydroelectric power project.

Social Development:

Disaster Preparedness: JICA assists Iran’s efforts in developing disaster-resilient communities by implementing projects focusing on disaster risk reduction and response. For instance, in the recent project we help the Iranian authority reduce vulnerability and the risk of life-threatening damages from earthquakes and floods.

Healthcare: JICA’s cooperation frequently focuses on improving healthcare systems, leading to better public health outcomes. Recently, in response to the request of Government of Iran, JICA has provided various medical equipment to improve the capacity of hospitals in Tehran.

Water: JICA contributes to improvement in water resources management, addressing basic needs and improving overall living conditions for sustainable development of water-scarce Iran. For instance, JICA has supported various projects to settle disputes about water distribution, balance between supply and demand of water resources, improve irrigation system, calculate hydrological balance and so on.

Cultural Development:

Preservation of Cultural Heritage: JICA supports initiatives to preserve the cultural heritage in Iran and contributes to the cultural diversity. The Grant Aid project on “Restoration and Preservation of Arg-e-Bam” and our recent agreement on “Iran National Museum for Improvement in Exhibition” are good examples of the JICA’s cooperation for the cultural development of Iran. I believe that the Iranian people, particularly the children will be even more proud of their own culture and identity through our cooperation.

What are the most pressing challenges facing JICA in Iran?

A long-term perspective and continued efforts are required to see the results.

No matter how impacts vary across projects, finally achieving positive effects on development generally requires an unclouded vision, constructive action plans and long-term significant efforts.

JICA, in collaboration with its partners, formulates various projects in different fields in which a variety of approaches and methodologies are introduced to improve the capacity of the Iranian counterpart to cope with the challenges.

JICA has sometimes received criticisms because the situation has not been improved right after the termination of the cooperation projects. However, we cannot expect immediate outcomes and witness tangible results overnight. Development is a result of sustained efforts. JICA’s cooperation projects are the first spark in a long process of improvement.

For instance, considering the complexity of ecosystems and the impact of human activities, changes in the environment often take years or even decades to yield results through continuous inputs. The most important thing is to keep trying until you see the improvement. This is what Japan has experienced in its development history.

How can these challenges be overcome?

A long-term view, commitment, patience and continued inputs from all stakeholders are essential to finally achieve the ultimate economic, social and cultural goals of a project even after the termination of the cooperation for the project. JICA’s cooperation is planned with such a long-term view. The result will be found after the cooperation which is the first step of the improvement. The improvement realized after long-term sustained efforts is firm. JICA always stands by Iran and is open to discuss all matters with the Iranian partners to overcome the challenges in the course of achieving the goals.

What plans does JICA have for implementing new projects in Iran?

It all depends on the needs, priorities and mutual consensus between the two governments, Japan and Iran. Surely, the proposed plan should be in line with Japan’s ODA policy and JICA’s capabilities. We do our best to support our partners to tackle challenges that help the people of Iran.

At any rate, JICA is open to any discussions raised by the Iranian side. It should be noted that close communication between JICA and the Government of Iran is essential.

What areas will these projects focus on?

We, JICA, intend to give priority to the areas requested by the Iranian government such as disaster risk reduction, waste management, water resource management, and so on.

How can the participation of the private sector in the implementation of JICA projects in Iran be further benefited?

If any Japanese company intends to do business with Iran, JICA can support them by connecting them with the potential market in Iran, as far as it will contribute to Iran’s development. We are proud that this is a good modality that will contribute to the economic development and business promotion of both countries.

One mechanism is to implement development projects through PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) which combines public resources and expertise with the efficiency and innovation of the private sector. Japanese Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been actively involved in overseas business development and JICA initiates the expansion of SMEs in various cooperation projects around the world.

JICA is engaged in this field by providing expertise and knowledge through training programs. In Iran, JICA has implemented technical support for SMEs promotion (biotechnology/plastics technology/organic materials/inorganic materials and metals)

How can the capacity of media and new technologies be utilized to inform and raise awareness about JICA projects in Iran?

We believe media platforms could act as a bridge linking us with the people. We welcome the media to have a visit to the cooperation project sites to see the improvement in their eyes, understand the achievements of the projects and report the progress to a wider audience.

The more people know about our achievements, the more involvement of local communities in the activities will be promoted to guarantee the sustainability of the outcomes of the cooperation projects in future.

We would appreciate new suggestions from the media. Recently, we opened our official Instagram account to share details of our activities with people.

How can the participation of the Iranian people be benefited more in the implementation of JICA projects in Iran?

The development of a country relies on the development of its people.

JICA has been emphasizing the importance of reaching people directly through its projects. Not only during the implementation phase but also at the time of evaluation, we examine the level of people’s satisfaction with the actions done within a project’s framework. Sharing lessons learned with the people and receiving actual feedbacks from them will make the participatory approach more effective and will lead to even further development.

How can JICA projects be used for strengthening Iran’s international cooperation with other countries?

Today, most of the socio-economic development challenges cannot be solved by only one country alone but should be tackled through international cooperation.

JICA’s cooperation brings together these experiences, strengthens the partnerships among nations and addresses various cross-border issues like the economy, climate change, environmental management, humanitarian crises including refugee situations and so on.

For instance, we offer technical assistance through the Third Country Training Program (TCTP), utilizing the knowledge of Iranian technocrats as hosts to enhance the skills and capabilities of the technocrats of a third country.

Does JICA have cooperation with the Municipality of Tehran in the field of crisis management?

JICA has a long history of cooperation with Tehran Municipality in the field of disaster management. Our cooperation started in 1999 with an earthquake risk assessment for the city of Tehran which became the start of a series of cooperation projects such as:

1. Formulation of Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction Master Plan in 2004 to mitigate the damages estimated in the Earthquake Risk Assessment. This master plan included structural and non-structural measures to be implemented. As this master plan was effective until 2018, now in the current project implementing, the plan will be revised.
2. Establishment of Emergency Operation Center (EOC): was constructed based on the outcome of the JICA’s cooperation. Before making the concept of the EOC, the Japanese example was referred to. This facility can help speed up emergency operations immediately after a disaster.
3. Earthquake Quick Damage and Loss Estimation System (QDLE): was developed to help understand the level of damage that can be estimated by the occurrence of an earthquake. This system will greatly contribute to identifying the areas to be prioritized for dispatching rescue forces.
4. Experimental Earthquake Early Warning System: The early warning system will detect the earthquake near the epicenter and inform us of the shaking levels expected at certain locations. For example, if a railway company receives the warning, trains will be stopped. It is still in a trial phase, however, in the future, the information provided by the system can be disseminated to the people.
5. Community Volunteer Group (Davam Group): Community empowerment was one of the major focuses of our past cooperation. To enhance people’s capacity, a variety of activities were implemented such as evacuation drills, town watching, disaster education and so on. Through the implementation of these activities, the community volunteer groups, Davam Groups, were organized. Now, all areas of Tehran have established Davam Groups.

The results of our cooperation projects are a useful source for academia and experts active in disaster management and risk reduction.

How does JICA help health care promotion in Iran?

Support to advancing health-promoting society is one of JICA global agenda in partner countries with the aim of protecting people’s lives at all times. In Iran, JICA and Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MHME) expanded their cooperation to boost up the quality and quantity of medical services provided to the people of Iran.

With this purpose, two projects were jointly formulated with a mid- and long-term perspective: The grant aid project for the “Improvement of Medical Equipment in Tehran City”, and the technical cooperation project for “Improving Medical Services in Iran through Japan’s Medical Management Models”.

Through the grant aid project,12 pieces of medical equipment for screening and early detection and treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases being provided to two hospitals in Tehran, namely, Arash Women Hospital and Imam Hossein Hospital.

Through the technical cooperation project, knowledge and experiences of Japan in different fields including elder healthcare, hospital design and construction, hospital management, Cancer Control and Management will be transferred to Iran through inviting Iranian policy makers, managers and specialists to Japan for tailer-made training programs specifically for Iran.

In addition to the above, following the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, JICA and MHME also developed a training program for Iran on “Prevention and Control of Healthcare-associated Infection” to support a resilient healthcare system in Iran against infectious diseases.

We hope that the people of Iran will benefit from the outcome of the cooperation with MHME to support the healthcare system.

How does JICA help environmental protection in Iran?

Along with the growth of industries, excessive exploitation and large-scale land use changes have led to the rapid destruction of the natural environment, which is the foundation of human existence. In this regard, JICA provides cooperation on nature conservation to address the environmental challenges of Iran.

We have carried out various successful cooperation projects together with our Iranian counterparts in different parts of Iran, including Gilan, West Azerbaijan, Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari, Fars, Khuzestan, Kohgiloye va Boyer Ahmad, Hormozgan, Qeshm island, etc.

These projects have introduced environmental monitoring methods and institutionalization, which have contributed to the capacity building of the government staff and have considerably contributed to alleviating over-use of natural resources by promoting income-generating activities and raising the awareness of local communities to proactively preserve their natural heritage for the next generations.

How does JICA help promote intercultural dialogue between Iran and Japan?

People-to-people exchanges through JICA activities have contributed to further strengthening the already friendly relations between the two countries.

For example, JICA’s training programs are a great opportunity for intercultural dialogue. Training participants in Japan become familiar with Japanese culture and exchange views with Japanese people. Also, having Japanese experts in Iran is another chance for intercultural dialogue.

In addition, in collaboration with the University of Tehran, JICA delivers lectures about Japan. Face-to-face interaction with young students is an excellent way to grow new generations who are knowledgeable about Japan and will be persons linking the two peoples.

How does JICA contribute to sustainable development in the Middle East?

JICA has been actively involved in supporting the development of the Middle East countries by sharing Japan’s unique development experience and best practices. JICA helps build inclusive and resilient societies by improving and upgrading the capacity of partner countries and their sustainable development.

JICA’s cooperation projects in the Middle East not only cover a wide range of needs of the partner countries but also will work toward common global objectives such as disaster risk reduction, adapting and mitigating climate change, universal health coverage, environmental pollution control etc. to address pressing challenges on a regional scale.

In Iraq, for example, JICA supported a project to refine high-quality oil products that meet environmental regulations utilizing Japanese technology that contributes to reduction of negative environmental impacts in neighboring countries.

JICA’s cooperation in the Middle East countries also includes strengthening human capital by improving their health care system to tackle infectious diseases.

In addition, JICA addresses the humanitarian support to respond the crises and refugee’s issues. It provides supports to Syrian and Palestine refugees in collaboration with the local governments and authorities.