On 15 November 2023, Mr. HAYAKAWA Yuho, Director-General of Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), together with Mr. SUZUKI Kazuya, Chief Representative, JICA Thailand Office, paid a courtesy call on Mrs. Ureerat Chareontoh, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA). Also presented at the meeting were Mrs. Arunee Hiam, Deputy Director-General of TICA, Ms. Chidchanok Malayawong, Director of Development Promotion and Coordination Division, and staff from both TICA and JICA.

 

Both sides discussed the current development cooperation between Thailand and Japan and explore a possibility to expand a collaboration to promote regional cooperation through ASEAN and ACMECS, and trilateral cooperation with Thailand’s neighboring countries and other partners like Timor-Leste. This is to reaffirm Thailand’s role as an emerging donor and a reliable partner, and due to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN cooperation framework with Japan this year.

 

Both sides exchanged views on global trend of international development cooperation. Director-General of TICA also informed that during 27-28 November 2023, TICA together with UNESCAP will co-organize the 5th Asia-Pacific Directors General Forum for South-South and Triangular Cooperation under the theme of Digital Innovation and South-South Cooperation: Driving Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific at UNCC, Bangkok. JICA is invited to attend the Forum.

 

On this occasion, Mr. HAYAKAWA commended Thailand’s active role in development cooperation, especially Thailand’s intention to apply for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) membership. TICA’s Friends From Thailand Programme is also a great example of two-way cooperation in which Thailand and Japan exchange expertise and human resources with each other, helping to change the public’s perception in seeing Japan as a one-way provider. This programme not only help promote tourism in Japan but also enhance people-to-people contact. In this regard, Director-General of TICA expressed a readiness to further strengthen development cooperation in all areas with JICA, and proposed a co-organizing of an annual consultations meeting to discuss policies between TICA and JICA, Headquarter.