On October 9, 2026, the 2nd ASEAN-Japan Meeting of Development Cooperation Agencies (EDPAJ: Emerging Development Partners from ASEAN and Japan) was held in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting was co-hosted by the Department of International Cooperation (TICA) of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) participating on behalf of Japan. In addition, representatives from development cooperation agencies and foreign ministries in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore participated, while the Philippines attended as an observer.
EDPAJ serves as a forum for development cooperation agencies from Japan and ASEAN countries to share experiences and insights and explore new opportunities for cooperation. The first meeting was held in Tokyo in 2024, and this is the second meeting. Discussions at this meeting centered on the theme “Strengthening ASEAN’s Resilience and the Role of Emerging Development Partners Toward a Safer and More Sustainable Future.”
In recent years, in addition to rising geopolitical tensions, there has been an increase in cross-border challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, food and energy security, and public health crises. To address these challenges, it is essential not only for individual nations but also for various countries and organizations to collaborate and pool their wisdom and experience. ASEAN countries, in particular, are increasing their presence in the international community as key partners that share their development experiences with other nations, against the backdrop of rapid economic growth.
In his opening remarks at the conference, JICA emphasized that, in order to address increasingly complex development challenges, it is crucial for each organization to learn from one another and work together to develop solutions. JICA also expressed its hope that EDPAJ would evolve not merely as a forum for information exchange, but as a framework for “Circular Cooperation” in which participating organizations continuously learn from one another while creating new value.
During the session organized by JICA, experiences with triangular cooperation in Latin America were presented. For example, participants shared a case study in which Japan and Brazil collaborated to disseminate insights on community policing—gained through their partnership—to countries across Central and South America, as well as initiatives to build international networks in the field of disaster risk reduction. Building on these experiences, participants discussed the potential for ASEAN countries to pool their respective strengths and, with the participation of diverse stakeholders such as private companies and universities, generate new solutions.
During the subsequent discussion, each country presented its initiatives in a wide range of fields, including economic security, food security, public health, climate change, disaster risk reduction, digital transformation, and human resource development. Participants agreed on the need to advance cooperation that leads to tangible results through training programs, expert exchanges, joint workshops, and the establishment of joint projects.
The participating organizations confirmed a direction for moving forward with future joint projects and trilateral cooperation by organizing and sharing information on each country’s areas of expertise, training programs, and ongoing projects, and by aligning the needs of countries requiring assistance with the strengths of each organization. The outcomes of these discussions were compiled into the “Bangkok Summary,” and the participants reaffirmed their commitment to contributing not only to enhancing resilience in the ASEAN region but also to addressing development challenges beyond the region.
This meeting also symbolizes the changes and growth of ASEAN countries. For example, Thailand received a significant amount of Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan in the 1990s. Today, however, Thailand itself is providing assistance to other countries as a provider of development cooperation. The fact that Thailand’s TICA and NEDA hosted this meeting demonstrates how ASEAN countries have evolved from recipients of aid to partners who jointly shoulder the responsibility of international cooperation. The EDPAJ can be described as a framework under which countries, as equal partners, share their technologies, experiences, and ideas to collaboratively address common challenges.
JICA will continue to strengthen its collaboration with development cooperation agencies in ASEAN countries and contribute to sustainable development through co-creation that leverages each party’s expertise and experience.
© Source JICA