JICA extends capacity building support for Lankan Public

Through the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship Programme (JDS), funded by the Government of Japan, facilitated and implemented by JICA, young, talented and capable Lankan government officials are able to follow higher education opportunities at renowned Japanese Universities.

Extending the current cooperation under the JDS scheme, the successive Grant Agreement worth 231 million Yen (approximately Rs 318 million) is expected to be signed by Kiyoshi Amada, Chief Representative JICA and Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga, Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance on Thursday 16 June in a special ceremony at the Ministry following the signing of an Exchange of Notes between His Excellency the Ambassador for Japan in Sri Lanka, K. Suganuma and Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga

This year too, a joint committee under JDS together with JICA and Embassy of Japan has selected fifteen suitable Government officials and ensure their enrolment in Japanese Universities for two-year Master’s Degree Scholarship Programmes in fields including Public Policy and Finance, Economics including Development Economics, Business Management, Environmental Management, Disaster Management and Climate Change. Since its introduction in 2009, the programme has already benefited 90 Sri Lankan Government officials with potential to play leadership roles who have followed these study pd that a total of 120 officers will receive scholarships during the co- operation period of this special programme.