The FINANCIAL — The Embassy of Japan in Georgia offered USD 5,467,675 for a rehabilitation project of Poti Kindergarten №1 and a project for the improvement of the water supply system in Sioni village in the Tianeti district.
“The Sioni water project is costing about USD 85,000 and Poti kindergarten – USD 90,000. All together for the completion of 84 projects Japan will offer about USD 5.5 million,” Masamitsu Oki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Georgia, told The FINANCIAL.
“Grassroots and Human Security Grant Assistance Programme contributes to relatively small projects applied by municipalities, medical institutions, academic institutes and NGOs, aiming directly at the improvement of living standards of Georgian people suffering from hardships. Such projects might be implemented in the field of public health, medicine, elementary and secondary education, social protection and environment, poverty reduction and the increase of incomes,” said Mr. Oki.
Japans’ grant assistance started in 1998. Including the projects this time, so far 84 GGP Projects to the amount of USD 5,467,675 have been implemented in Georgia. The scale of Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) to Georgia amounts to USD 138.14 million in total, covering a wide range of areas such as improvement of economic infrastructure, the agricultural sector, social sector, cultural field and human resource development.
“For us one of the priorities is education, human resources. Let’s just look at Japan’s experience. We don’t have gas or oil but by developing human resources we developed our country. We would like to have a similar experience in Georgia. Agriculture and water supply should also be a main concern. 50% of the Georgian people are employed in agriculture. We are also oriented at healthcare. We want to help people who are in need, especially in the local area,” the Ambassador stated.
According to Mr. Oki, “The Japanese had a lot of rehabilitation projects of schools, kindergartens, medical clinics and hospitals. We recently completed many agricultural projects, including the provision of agricultural machines like tractors and so on. We are glad to be participating in the reconstruction of Georgia and are motivated to continue such projects. Georgia is developing very quickly. The key to its further development is two things: human resources development, which you are doing very well, and maintenance.”
In the Japanese Ambassador’s words, the world economy crisis, which has already affected Japan, will have an effect on Georgia too, but not so strongly.
“I think no country is safe from the world financial crisis. However fortunately in October a donor’s conference was held in Geneva where it was announced that Georgia will receive an additional USD 6 billion. Financial aid will help Georgians to avoid world influence,” the Ambassador stated.
Recently, on October 31, 2008, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Magradze received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Georgia (with his residence in Baku) Masamitsu Oki.
At the meeting, the sides discussed bilateral relations, in particular the scheduled visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Japan in March, 2009 and the official opening of the Japanese Embassy in Georgia in January 2009 which will promote the strengthening of political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
The sides also discussed GUAM-Japan cooperation issues and in this context observed a planned meeting on the level of GUAM National Coordinators to be held in Tokyo in December of this year.
During the discussion of multilateral issues, both sides once again expressed their readiness for mutual support within the cooperation of these international organizations.
Written By Madona Gasanova
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