JICA provides scholarships to young government officials

JICA and the Government of Nepal signed a Grant Agreement on assistance for “The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)”, for the Fiscal Year 2024 amounting to Japanese Yen Four Hundred and Twenty-Four million (424,000,000).

The Exchange of Notes regarding the assistance was signed between Arjun Prasad Pokharel, Secretary, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of Nepal (GON) and KIKUTA Yutaka Ambassador of Japan to Nepal on behalf of the Government of Japan (GOJ). Similarly, the Grant Agreement was signed between Shreekrishna Nepal, Joint Secretary, International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD), Ministry of Finance on behalf of GON and IIZUKA Kenichiro, Senior Representative of JICA Nepal Office on behalf of JICA.

With the signing of G/A, JICA will offer 22 scholarships to the Civil Servants of Nepal to study in graduate schools of renowned Japanese Universities. The selected participants enhance their expertise in respective professional areas ranging widely from judicial, economic policy, and develop broad network at the global level.

The objective of the JDS is to strengthen the government’s administrative capacities in Nepal for the young and capable government employees who are expected to engage in formulating and implementing social and economic development plans and thus play leadership roles to contribute to the development of Nepal. This agreement expects to expand and enhance the foundation for bilateral relations between Japan and Nepal by means of accepting students from Nepal in Japanese Universities as overseas students.

Government of Japan has been providing this scholarship since 2016. Until now, 105 civil servants have graduated from Japanese universities and are spread across key ministries of Nepal building a strong alumni network. At present, 38 JDS fellows, 35 for masters and 3 for PhD courses are pursuing academic degree in the prestigious Japanese universities.

IIZUKA Kenichiro, Senior Representative of JICA Nepal stated that, “JICA always have and always will aim to contribute to strengthening human resource in Nepal, which is indispensable for delivering better public services to the people.”