Japan International Cooperation Agency resumes operations at Ukraine office

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has resumed operations at its office in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, after a hiatus triggered by Russia's invasion of the country.

That's according to NHK, Ukrinform reports.

JICA opened the Kyiv office in 2017. But it temporarily closed it and evacuated its Japanese staff in late January of 2022, just before Russia launched the invasion. The staff have since continued their work remotely from neighboring Moldova and elsewhere.

The agency brought back its full-time staff to Kyiv and restarted operations at the office on Wednesday to accelerate Japan's assistance for Ukraine's reconstruction.

Of assistance pledged by the Japanese government for Ukraine, JICA is in charge of projects worth about 170 billion yen, or over $1.1 billion. The agency has already provided generators and technological assistance to remove land mines.

JICA now plans to use its Kyiv office to facilitate collaboration with Ukraine in providing support in a wide range of fields, including agriculture and education, as well as helping Japanese firms operate in the country.

Matsunaga Hideki, director general of JICA's Middle East and Europe Department, said it is important for the organization's staff to stay in Ukraine to build a relationship of trust with local people.

He said expectations are high in the country for Japan, and that his agency intends to make use of Japan's experience in disaster recovery and offering reconstruction assistance in other countries.

JICA plans to increase the number of its full-time staff in Ukraine and begin full-fledged operations from next year.

Photo: telegraf.com.ua