Exchange of experiences for the future: Japanese and Turkish humanitarian aid and support activities in conflict zones

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.