establish and improve further the entire process to ensure the positive functioning of three cycles-policymaking, implementation and evaluation. Furthermore, in order to enhance ODA evaluation on a global level, it is necessary to participate actively in evaluation networking by the OECD/DAC and support the efforts of recipient countries to improve their evaluation capacity. The "Tokyo Workshop on ODA Evaluation," conducted by the Japanese Government had the participation of people from developing countries in Asia who involved themselves in development assistance and staff of international organizations and was highly evaluated by the international community. Japan is requested to continue such efforts in the future.

Procedures for Assistance: For Flexible, Efficient and More Transparent Implementation of Assistance

For aid procedures, it is necessary to seek constant improvements such as increasing flexibility, efficiency and transparency.

First, there is the issue of strengthening country-specific approach, including that of Country-based ODA Task Forces. In order to promote the improvement of strategy, transparency and efficiency of ODA and the fulfillment of accountability, it is necessary to strengthen the role of local Task Forces in establishing aid strategies for respective countries. Based on this idea, the revised ODA Charter sets out the policy of "strengthening of the field mission functions". It states, "the functions of field missions (primarily overseas diplomatic field missions and offices of implementing agencies) will be strengthened, so that they could be able to play a leading role in an integrated manner in the policy-making process and implementation of aid policies." It has become increasingly important to appoint experts with knowledge and experience in relevant countries, at overseas diplomatic missions or offices of implementing agencies for the purpose of comprehensively improving the quality of the policy.

Local ODA policy consultation held with the participation of key government figures

hensively and precisely understanding of the priority issues in the recipient countries and especially appropriate contribution Japan should make. And it has also come to be more important to sufficiently understand the economic and social conditions of recipient countries with the cooperation of local persons and to create a mechanism for such purpose. In addition, the strengthening of the functions of field missions has a positive impact on coordination of assistance on a local basis. In recent years, the formulation and implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) has been promoted under the ownership of recipient governments through cooperation among aid agencies and other related organizations. In order to participate actively in the movement, it is necessary to strengthen functions of Country-based ODA Task Forces, which have been established in 64 countries.

Second, it is essential to further strengthen collaboration with persons concerned in Japan (related ministries and agencies, NGOs, intellectuals, persons concerned in the private sector, etc.) as a measure to improve efficiency of assistance. Collaboration and communication among ODA-related ministries and agencies have been improved dramatically in recent years. From the outset, the Japanese Government has adopted a consensus method in principle for decision-making, and thus, consultation among ministries and agencies is not insufficient compared to other donor countries. However, as for the vertical administrative structure, its inefficiency and incoherency are still criticized. At present, one office and 12 ministries/agencies have ODA budgets. In order to ensure the Japanese ODA projects to be consistent, effective and efficient as a whole, it is essential to strengthen collaboration and coordination by using techniques and knowledge of each ministry and agency. In addition, it is important that the ODA projects are implemented in a coordinated manner. For this purpose, it is necessary for the entire government to share the same policies and goals and maintain the uniformity.

The revised ODA Charter states, "under the auspices of the Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will play the central coordinating role in strengthening broad collaboration between the ODA-related government ministries and agencies, including by means of personnel exchanges, by utilizing the expertise of those related ministries and agencies" in order to ensure that the government in its entirety formulates and implements policies in a unified and coherent manner. Under the Council of Overseas Economic Cooperation-Related Ministers at the ministerial level, various councils are in place, such as the Inter-Ministerial Meeting on ODA, the Board Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Meeting on ODA, the Experts