2022

FY2022 "JICA-WB Collaborative Program: Public Debt and Risk Management"

From February 20 to March 8, 2023, IIMA participated again this year in the "Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) -World Bank Collaborative Program: Public Debt and Risk Management" training program. The training was for 31 senior officials of fiscal authorities from 29 developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central America, and the Pacific. IIMA worked with the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) to support the preparation and implementation of the training. While the training was conducted remotely last year, the trainees were invited to Japan for a face-to-face session this year.

The training, which IIMA has supported since 2016, focused on public debt and risk management (mainly contingent liabilities) and consisted of lectures and case studies, with the World Bank providing the lecturers and materials. In addition, the Japanese Ministry of Finance and IIMA gave lectures on Japanese fiscal affairs and other topics.

During the training, which was the first face-to-face training in three years, active discussions and exchanges of opinions took place between the lecturers and trainees. It is hoped that the trainees will use the knowledge gained from this training to promote policies for sound public finance and debt management in their home countries.

   

FY2022 JICA’s “Strengthening Development Finance Institutions in SADC Countries” Program

From November 28 to December 9, 2022, IIMA participated in a training program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) entitled “Strengthening Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Countries.” This training was conducted remotely for five senior officials of DFIs in four countries in the Southern African region, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, and Tanzania.

As it did last year, IIMA supported the planning and implementation of the training together with the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE). The program, which IIMA has supported since 2015, is designed to develop project management and operational capacity for staff of development finance institutions. Like last year, the training focused on supporting and promoting Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The training consisted of lectures and workshops, with lectures given by the Japan Finance Corporation, the Japan Financial Services Agency, the Takasaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Bank of Ayutthaya (Thailand), FINOLAB, and others. In the workshop, participating trainees created and presented action plans to solve issues related to supporting and promoting MSMEs in their home countries.

Even though the training was conducted remotely, lively discussions took place. Based on this training, it is hoped that the trainees can promote policies to support and promote MSMEs in their home countries.