Policy Updates

Each week, Donor Tracker's team of country-based experts bring you the most important policy and funding news across issue areas in the form of Policy Updates.

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Japan provides US$93 million education development loan to Rwanda

March 6, 2024 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On March 6, 2024, Japan pledged a JPY14 billion loan (US$93 million) to Rwanda aimed at fostering economic and social transformation by improving teacher training and the educational environment.

This initiative, titled Development Policy Loan for the Education Sector, is slated to strengthen teacher training institutions, promote educational digital transformation, and enhance internal efficiency, contributing to the development of globally competitive talent.

This loan builds on Japan’s commitment, expressed at the TICAD8, to improve learning for children and provide quality education to 9 million people, alongside mainstreaming digital transformation in health, education, agriculture, and postal services.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Japan pledges US$6.8 million for children’s education in Syria

February 29, 2024 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On February 29, 2024, Japan pledged US$7 million to UNICEF to enhance the well-being and education of vulnerable and earthquake-affected children in Syria amid ongoing conflict and crises.

The contribution aimed to address the challenges faced by Syrian children after 13 years of conflict, economic crises, and recent earthquakes, which have caused significant fatalities and injuries and impacted millions, including 3.3 million children. This funding will support protection services, safe learning environments, and resilience-building for children and young people across Syria, emphasizing the recovery of learning losses and skills development for better societal integration and labor market engagement.

The donation underscored Japan’s commitment as a leading UNICEF donor, contributing approximately US$57 million between 2020 and 2023 to support Syrian children and families, underlining the importance of sustainable funding for early recovery and resilience-building efforts in the region.

Press release - UNICEF

Japan pledges US$4 million for girls’ education in West Africa

February 19, 2024 | Japan, Education, Gender Equality | Share this update

On February 16, 2023, Japan committed JPY481 million (US$4 million) to a UNESCO project aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for girls in West Africa.

The funding initiative seeks to address the critical challenges of gender disparities and low educational attainment among girls in the Sahel region and its surroundings. The project focuses on training teachers and improving educational facilities in countries including Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mauritania. It is designed to provide safe, high-quality education for girls, thereby contributing to regional peace and stability.

The effort aligns with the African Union's declaration of 2024 as the “Year of Education” and Japan's broader commitment to supporting education in Africa. This includes previous pledges to improve access to quality education for 4 million girls and substantial financial support aimed at promoting peace and sustainable growth in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea nations.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (in Japanese)

Japan provides US$15 million for STEM education in Zambia

January 25, 2024 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On January 25, 2024, Japan signed an agreement with Zambia to provide JPY1.6 billion (US$15 million) in funding to enhance STEM education and improve the practical learning environment and the quality of education in STEM fields in Zambia.

The grant from Japan will be used to construct facilities and provide equipment for three STEM secondary schools in the vicinity of Lusaka as well as seven other STEM secondary schools and a National Science Center located in seven different states. This initiative is expected to improve the practical environment for STEM education and enhance the quality of teaching through expanded training opportunities for teachers, contributing to the development of professionals in science and mathematics in Zambia.

This cooperation aligns with Japan’s commitment, expressed at the TICAD8 in August 2022, to improve children’s learning and provide quality education, including STEM education, to 9 million people.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (in Japanese)

Japan pledges US$3 million for climate-resistant learning in wake of Cyclone Freddy

January 9, 2024 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On January 9, 2024, Japan pledged US$3 million for the GPE to support children affected by Cyclone Freddy in Mozambique and to enhance the resilience of education to climate change in SSA.

The pledge reflected Japan’s commitment to addressing the intersection of climate change and education, recognizing the increasing threat that climate change poses to children’s right to education worldwide.

Cyclone Freddy struck Mozambique twice, on February 24 and March 11, 2023. It had a devastating impact, affecting almost 1.2 million people and disrupting the education of thousands of children. The storm highlighted the vulnerability of educational systems to climate-related disasters.

Japan signed the Declaration on the Common Agenda for Education and Climate Change at COP28 in November 2023 as a founding member. The declaration was a global acknowledgement of the critical relationship between education and climate action as foundational for a resilient and sustainable future for all children.

Japan’s contribution is slated to support GPE’s efforts to integrate climate change awareness into education. The funds from Japan will bolster continuous access to learning for children impacted by Cyclone Freddy and contribute to GPE’s Climate Smart Education Initiative. The initiative is planned to enhance the capacity of countries in SSA to incorporate climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into their education sector plans, budgets, and strategies. The initiative also focuses on using climate data for planning and policy, improving school safety, accessing climate finance for adaptation, and integrating climate education into school curricula.

Press release - Global Partnership for Education

JICA resumes operations at Ukraine office

November 1, 2023 | Japan, Education, Agriculture | Share this update

On November 1, 2023, the Japanese government announced the reopening of the JICA Ukraine office.

The office had been closed since the January 2022 lead-up to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Staff from the office have since been working from neighboring countries.

JICA is responsible for over US$1.1 billion of assistance provided by Japan. It noted plans to use its Kyiv office to facilitate projects in the areas of agriculture, education, and industry. The organization will increase its presence in Ukraine and is expected to commence fully-fledged operations next year.

News article - NHK World

Japan provides US$5 million for education in Mali

October 6, 2023 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On October 6, 2023, Japan and UNICEF exchanged letters in Bamako, Mali, involving a grant of JPY520 million (US$5 million) promoting children's education in vulnerable areas of Mali.

Mali plays a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the Sahel region, but experts have noted it faces education challenges due to security issues, resulting in low enrollment rates and quality concerns.

The project aims to expand the UNICEF School for All Approach, improving education in vulnerable areas by constructing facilities, establishing functional school management committees, and fostering community participation. The collaboration aligned with Japan's commitments made during TICAD8 and the G7 Hiroshima Summit to support African peace and stability, with a specific focus on the Sahel region.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (in Japanese)

Japan to host TICAD9 in Yokohama

August 8, 2023 | Japan, Education, Agriculture, Gender Equality, Climate, Global Health | Share this update

On August 8, 2023, the Japanese government announced that the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development will be held in Yokohama, Japan, in 2025.

Japan has led TICAD since 1993. It is co-hosted by the UN, UNDP, World Bank, and AUC. The main priority of TICAD is to promote development and cooperation between Japan and Africa. TICAD9 is planned to continue the tradition of bringing African leaders and Japanese representatives together to discuss cooperation and development in the African continent.

TICAD8 took place from August 27–28, 2022, in Tunis, Tunisia. The conference saw the participation of 48 African countries, including 20 heads of state and government.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister speaks at UNHLPF

July 19, 2023 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On July 20, 2023, Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shunsuke Takei spoke on behalf of the Japanese Government at the UNHLPF Ministerial Level Meeting.

Takei spoke about how the compounding crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have impeded progress towards the UN SDGs. He also stressed the importance of the international community coming together to accelerate efforts toward achieving the SDGs.

Takei specifically discussed Japan’s investment in personnel within the education, international health, disaster prevention, and climate change sectors. He confirmed Japan’s commitment to playing a leading role in achieving the SDGs as the current President of the G7.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (in Japanese)Conference statement - Statement by State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Takei Shunsuke at the High-Level Political Forum

Japan, Bangladesh launch US$3 million scholarship program

July 18, 2023 | Japan, Education | Share this update

On July 18, 2023, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Kiminori Iwama and Bangladeshi Finance Minister Sharifa Khan signed a JPY472 million (US$3 million) grant agreement to provide scholarships to government officials in Bangladesh.

The grant from the Japanese government will be used to fund scholarships for government officials to obtain a graduate degree from Japanese universities.

The Japanese government estimated that Bangladesh will no longer be defined as an LDC as per UN guidelines by 2026. As such, the press release accompanying the grant noted a great need to increase the administrative capacity of government officials.

The press release announced the intention to provide Bangladeshi officials with the knowledge and skills required to solve development issues in Bangladesh and contribute to the country’s economic and social development.

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (in Japanese)

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US$ amounts are cited directly from sources; in the absence of an official conversion, they are calculated using the previous week's average of the US Federal Reserve's daily exchange rates.

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