:: Japan's Economic Cooperation Between Japan and Tuvalu

According to the OECD statistics, Japan was the largest donor to Tuvalu in 1997. The two vital components of ODA programs are Grant Aid and Technical Cooperation.

Grant Aid

The Grant Aid program has been a major component of Japan’s ODA to Tuvalu. Japan provides general grant aid to Tuvalu emphasising on projects in the fisheries sectors. Japan also provides Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) for grassroots communities and Emergency Aid in such cases as natural disasters.

General Grant Aid

The following is a list of projects funded under Japan’s General Grant Aid program since 1991:

The total Grant Aid from 1980 to date has been approximately US$19.6 million. Specific budgets for each country are not predetermined and projects in each country are judged on their individual merits.

Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project (GGP)

The funding ceiling under the GGP program is normally US$40,000. However, this can be increased to US$400,000 in special cases. A total of 17 projects to the value of approximately US$1,026,381 have been funded under this program from 1992 to 2002. The areas targeted are primary education, health, water supply, women in development, environment, small-scale electrification, disability and vocational training.

4 Projects to the value of US$196,500 were funded in the 2002 financial year as follows:

Technical Cooperation

The areas covered under Technical Cooperation are very diversified and include such sectors as fishery, industry, infrastructure and health. Technical Cooperation programs to Tuvalu are composed of the following:

1. Acceptance of trainees: An average of 10 trainees have been accepted each year;
2. Dispatch of experts: No experts are presently working in Tuvalu;
3. Development survey and development cooperation projects: Examples of these include studies on fisheries development and management, resources survey and health.