- By Theme
The UN and Development
Around the world, billions of people suffer from hunger and poverty, unable to receive adequate food, drinking water, education or health care. Also global issues such as the environment, population, HIV/AIDS, and the Digital Divide are growing.
Based on the UN Millennium Declaration adopted at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, the United Nations set forth the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), goals for international cooperation in the field of development. The MDGs comprise 8 goals, including the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and call upon the international community to work together for their achievement by the year 2015.
Furthermore, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was held in June 2012. Twenty years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit, or UNCED), the Heads of participating states agreed upon an outcome document concerning 1) Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and 2) an institutional framework for sustainable development.
Japan’s Efforts
Japan places great importance on the MDGs as goals which the entire international community must work together as a single entity to achieve in order to build a better world. Japan has been proactively contributing toward the achievement of the MDGs by the year 2015, attaining concrete successes through bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) as well as projects in cooperation with international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), based on the concept of Human Security, a viewpoint which Japan has been actively promoting. In particular, Japan has been predominantly focused on making continued contributions in the fields of health and education.
The Japanese Government has also been actively promoting discussions on international development agenda beyond 2015.
Foreign Minister Gemba attended the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) held June 2012, and announced three specific initiatives towards creating "Green Future".
In June 2013, Japan hosted the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which seeks to contribute to the goal of promoting development in Africa.
Related Documents
[MDGs]
- The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
- Launch of Japan's Development Policy at the UN MDGs Summit (September 2010)
- The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Follow-up Meeting (June 3, 2011)
- The MDGs Informal Ministerial Level Meeting at the 66th United Nations General Assembly (September 2011)
[Rio+20]
[Japan’s development policy]
- Official Development Assistance (ODA)
- Sectoral Development Policy
- Human Security
- ODA White Papers
- Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)
