Japan’s Experience in Capacity Building Assistance, which is related to the implementation of the UNSCR 1540
JAPAN
Ladies and Gentleman,
Thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to speak on Japan’s experience of providing assistance, which is related to UNSCR 1540.
As you all know, the UNSCR 1540 stipulates, in its OP7, that “The security council recognizes that some States may require assistance in implementing the provisions of this resolution within their territories and invites States in a position to do so to offer assistance as appropriate in response to specific requests to the States lacking the legal and regulatory infrastructure, implementation experience and/or resources for fulfilling the above provisions”.
Today, based on the distributed paper, I would like to explain, first, about Japan’s records of providing capacity building assistance, which is related to the implementation of the UNSCR 1540, and, second, about newly introduced Japan’s Grant aid for cooperation on counter-terrorism and security enhancement.
First, the Government of Japan has been taking actions and measures for capacity building which is related to the implementation of the UNSCR 1540, mainly for Asian countries. The Resolution covers the wide range areas to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and their means of delivery, and Japan’s approach to the assistance is also holistic. It ranges the nine areas such as immigration, aviation security, port and maritime security, customs cooperation, export control, law-enforcement cooperation, anti-terrorist financing, counter-CBRN terrorism, and counter-terrorism international conventions and protocols. In these areas Japan has been holding seminars and training courses and received 355 people in FY 2005. In the paper which Japan has distributed, Japan’s records of providing capacity building assistance, which is related to the implementation of the UNSCR 1540, are described. Japan’s assistance is two-fold; one is the receiving of trainees and holding the seminars; and the other is the provision of security equipments to the relevant agencies. Both forms of assistance have been implemented mainly through Japan’s ODA. In utilizing the ODA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with the relevant Ministries and Agencies, determines what kind of projects should be formed and to which countries those projects should target. While doing so, Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been in close consultation with the recipient Governments. The reason is that Japan’s ODA is request basis approach, which means Japan cannot provide its ODA to the recipient countries unless the recipient countries formally submit request to the Government of Japan. What this implies is that no matter how important the projects seem to Japan, the projects will not be realized without the recipient Government’s high priority on those projects. Therefore, Japan values this kind of seminar in raising awareness of the importance to combat the threat of proliferation of the WMD, so that there will be more requests of the projects related to counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation.
Now, I would like you to take a look at the distributed paper. Again, I would like to emphasize that Japan is of the view that in order to enhance the state’s capability to counter-proliferation of the WMD, not only export control but also other areas mentioned in the Resolution such as border controls, law enforcement, and national legislation need to be addressed.
With respect to the border controls, Japan has provided various kinds of assistance in the field of aviation security, port and maritime security, customs cooperation, including the provision of the security equipments and receiving the trainees.
With respect to the export control, Japan has annually held various kinds of seminars on export control, receiving trainees mainly from Asian countries. Japan also has held export control seminars in Asia by dispatching government officials to Asian countries. Although this is related to the previous session’s topic, Japan has held industrial outreach seminar in Asia to encourage them to accelerate their own efforts towards effective export control.
With respect to law-enforcement cooperation, Japan, mainly the National Police Agency, has held various kinds of seminars in Japan on the specific aspects of law enforcement. Japan also has provided security equipments including radio-communication, criminal-investigation, police buses and motor-cycles.
Second, I would like to briefly explain about Japan’s newly introduced Grant aid for cooperation on counter-terrorism and security enhancement.
This assistance aims for assisting countries to counter terrorism and piracy, through enhancement of capacity, including provision of necessary equipments, of the related government agencies. This assistance is also for ensuring public order which is essential for developing countries aiming at economic and social development. As I explained, generally, developing countries don’t place high priority on counter-terrorism amongst numerous issues of social development. The introduction of new scheme targeting counter-terrorism and security enhancement is expected to contribute to increasing the assistance projects by Japan in these areas through facilitating the recipient countries to request projects in this regard. The scale of this aid is approximately 61 million US$ for FY 2006. The scope of assistance is described in the paper. One of the characteristics of this aid is that this aid has expanded the eligibility for aid to countries, which are beyond the scope of the Grant Aid for General Projects. Specifically, this new scheme can extend assistance to countries eligible for the IDA or IBRD loan (less than 5295 US$ GNI per capita).
Out of approximately 61 million US$ for FY 2006, about half of the funds has already been distributed to two projects, which are the provision of patrol vessels for prevention of piracy, maritime terrorism and proliferation of weapons in Indonesia, and the project for the improvement of Security facilities and equipment in Main International Ports of Cambodia. It is under consideration to which projects the other half of the funds will be distributed in this FY.
As for the project for construction of patrol vessels for the prevention of piracy, maritime terrorism and proliferation of weapons in Indonesia, the Government of Japan has agreed to provide three patrol vessels to Indonesia, which amount to 1921 million yen through grant aid. The Strait of Malacca is an international maritime artery and more than 10 % of all the world’s piracy happens in the Straits, and there is an urgent need to strengthen the maritime security of littoral states. At the same time, illicit trafficking of arms in the Straits have occurred and there is also an pressing need to address the prevention of smuggling of the arms. Against such a background, the then President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Foreign Minister Noer Hassan Wirajuda requested Japan respectively in June 2003 and February 2004 to extend grant assistance for improving vessels to strengthen its capacity in maritime security. This assistance not only benefits the recipient country, but also the international society as a whole, since the threat of terrorism, piracy or prolifertion using the Straits is not limited to the recipient country.
As for the project of the improvement of Security facilities and equipment in Main International Ports of Cambodia, the Government of Japan has agreed to provide 927 million yen through grant aid. This project aims to strengthen port security to meet the requirement by ISPS Code of amended SOLAS Convention, through the provision of security equipments and necessary technical assistance.
In conclusion, if your country is interested in receiving assistance through the afore-mentioned scheme or Japan’s ODA generally, please contact with me or the Embassy of Japan in your country. As I explained, eventually, the request has to be formally submitted from your government, usually from the Ministry in charge of development, to the Embassy of Japan, and the Government of Japan will formally consider the request and decides which projects to be implemented. I hope that this seminar will facilitate the cooperation between Japan and the participating countries in mobilizing resources to counter the threat of proliferation.
Thank you very much for your attention.
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