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Bangladesh, 1st testing ground of Japanese evaluation

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October 27, 2000 

Dhaka-- (UNB) – Japan adopts a new method of evaluation to dispel doubts of its people over massive use of public resources abroad.

Being the sixth largest recipient of Japanese bilateral aid, Bangladesh has been selected the first testing ground for its new method to evaluate the use of official development assistance (ODA) in recipient countries.

Japan’s long-lasting recession leading to budget constraints, corporate collapses and unemployment at home created a public opinion for a more objective, transparent and accountable appraisal of ODA, said Shirakawa, director of Evaluation Division of Japanese Foreign Ministry, here yesterday .

“Japanese people want to see their official money is used properly, efficiently and effectively,” he told reporters.

An evaluation team, led by him, has already exchanged views with government leaders and international lending agencies including World Bank and Asian Development Bank on the new evaluation methods that are going to be introduced shortly.

The new method will be in place side by side evaluation done by other agencies like JICA and JBIC, but will focus on overall ODA policy rather than on individual project-based appraisal, he clarified.

Net disbursement of Japan’s ODA to Bangladesh amounted to US$ 4.6 billion up to 1998 and the team leader said Japan’s assistance to Bangladesh has so far been successful. Japan is the largest provider of bilateral aid to Bangladesh.

Japanese ODA aims at poverty alleviation and focuses four major areas—agriculture, infrastructure, social sector and disaster control.

Quoting recent opinion surveys in Japan, Shirakawa said Japanese people are clearly doubting the continued need for massive amounts of ODA when corporate collapses and restructuring are spurring unemployment at home. However, he added public support for the nation’s ODA policies and programmes remains as high as 70 per cent.

These circumstances demand the government to do more to win public understanding and support by improving the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency.

“More objective way of evaluation methods is necessary to keep our current level of assistance,” he said.