March 27, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 18, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 26: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has pledged more support to development activities in Pakistan when it merges with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in October this year.

Resident representative Jica Takao Kaibara told journalists here on Wednesday that the merger would enable the agency, presently providing only technical assistance, to initiate some revolutionary developmental projects in Pakistan.

After the merger, the agency will emerge as one of the world’s largest bilateral aid donors with financial resources of about $7 billion, and will provide both technical assistance and grant and loan assistance under a single roof for the first time.

Mr Kaibara said Jica had also been providing support to Pakistan in the medical sector. The agency has supported the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in three phases. First, it supported Mother and Child Health Centre, then Child Care Centre and thirdly provided the children hospital’s operation theatre with state of the art facilities.

He said Jica’s cooperation in this region prioritised poverty reduction that incorporated the perspective of human security.

The agency has a two-pronged approach towards development: by improving basic living standard (healthcare, population, education and safe water) and stable growth of the economy.