The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has become increasingly interested in making use of PEFA assessments in its development assistance activities, and requested the Secretariat to visit its Tokyo Headquarters to introduce staff and consultants to the PEFA methodology.

Over the course of a week in December, Phil Sinnett (the former head of Secretariat) met with various senior JICA officials and delivered a series of seminars and workshops to JICA staff and consultants to familiarize them with the PEFA Framework. The various activities were primarily aimed at raising awareness of the benefits from adopting a holistic and systemic approach towards financial management, rather than the essentially fiduciary view currently taken in the development projects that JICA supports.

JICA officials appeared well satisfied with what had been achieved over the course of the various sessions, and appear keen to explore ways in which they may become more meaningfully involved in the PEFA Program.