### Section 5. Formulation and Implementation of ODA Policy

The ODA Charter specifies three sets of reform measures so that the assistance can be provided more efficiently and effectively. That is, the system for formulating and implementing aid policy, increasing public participation, and matters essential for effective implementation. The following describes ODA reform efforts implemented in FY2007 in accordance with the ODA Charter structure.

### 1. System for Formulation and Implementation of ODA Policy

## (1) Coherent Formulation of Aid Policy

In Japan, the Cabinet Office and the 12 ministries and agencies $ ^{5} $ are involved in development assistance. When implementing aid, it is important that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—a nucleus for policy planning and overall policy coordination—works closely with the Overseas Economic Cooperation Council—a strategic decision making body. The collaboration ensures that ODA from each government agency is designed and executed coherently for strategic values and yields the maximum results.

The Overseas Economic Cooperation Council, established by the Cabinet Office in April 2006, is chaired by the Prime Minister, while the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry flexibly and practically deliberate important matters pertaining to overseas economic cooperation. The council has carried out discussions on issues including ODA policy, amounts and quality, relating to Asia, Africa, China, Iraq, India, and Afghanistan as well as resources, energy, the environment, support for legal systems, and peace building.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Cooperation Bureau, set up in August 2006, comprehensively plans and drafts policies relating to bilateral as well as multilateral assistance, while also playing a central role in coordination in the government. Collaboration with related government ministries and agencies is also of importance. Thus, the government carries out a series of discussions such as the Inter-Ministerial Meeting on ODA, the Experts Meeting on Technical Cooperation, and the Experts Meeting on ODA Evaluation, at which information is shared and opinions exchanged with the government ministries and agencies concerned, and their knowledge is subsequently put to use. The International Cooperation Planning Headquarters, established under the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in which the International Cooperation Bureau and other Bureaus including regional bureaus have consultations, plan and formulate effective assistance policy for formulating priority objectives and regional priority issues for international cooperation for each fiscal year. Furthermore, in 2007 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) established the “Advisory Council on International Cooperation,” comprised of specialists in international cooperation $ ^{6} $ from various sectors (e.g. scholars, the fourth estate, business circles, and NGOs). Wider-ranging debate is carried out within the council to ensure that the opinions of the experts in response to questions $ ^{7} $ they have fielded from the Minister for Foreign Affairs are reflected in policies. In January 2008, the Interim Report on these discussions was submitted to then Foreign Minister Koumura. Additionally, sectoral discussions by special taskforces are ongoing in MOfA, to ensure sector-specific challenges too, are adequately addressed. For example, the healthcare taskforce held repeated discussions on events such as TICAD IV and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit with the concerned ministries and agencies and JICA, and this contributed to Japan’s leadership in these international conferences.