Exchange of experiences for the future: Japanese and Turkish humanitarian aid and support activities in conflict zones
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Date
2018
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Ankara : Ankara Üniversitesi
Abstract
Since I heard about the idea of the symposium last year, I have been
excited with high expectation and interest. Before my appointment as
Ambassador to Turkey last September, I myself had worked on the issues of
international conflicts not on the fields but in NY and Tokyo. I worked for 4
years at our Permanent Mission to the UN from 2007 to 2011 including 2 years
on the Security Council with Turkish colleagues. From 2015 to 2017 I served
as Secretary-General of Secretariat of the International Peace Cooperation
Headquarters, Cabinet Office in Japan, which coordinates Japan’s
participation in UN peacekeeping operations. Until May 2016 for 5 years
Japan SDF’s military engineers had been dispatched to UNMISS (UN Mission
to South Sudan). I went to Juba 4 times and witnessed very difficult political,
economic and humanitarian situation in that conflict-torn, fragile country with
almost one third of its 12 million people are either IDP or refugees overseas
especially to Uganda.
Japan has been active in providing humanitarian assistance globally both
bilaterally through JICA and multilaterally through UN agencies, working
together with NGOs. Since I came here, I have learned that Turkey has become
one of the most important humanitarian assistance provider in the world, No2
next to the US per capita basis according to Turkish colleagues. I am a believer
of Turkey-Japan partnership. I sometimes feel we are two nations with one
heart. So I am convinced that this Symposium will be very useful and timely
in sharing experiences and finding the way forward working together.
Today, I’d like to briefly touch on three points; namely the importance
and relevance of human security approach and what and how Japan has been
doing in assistance to Syrian refugees in Turkey, and emerging new situation
surrounding refugees here.
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