Arthur E. Dewey Kaoru Ishikawa Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance

Press Statement Richard Boucher, Spokesman Washington, DC December 14, 2004

United States-Japan Bilateral Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance

The United States and Japan held the inaugural session December 13 of the U.S. – Japan Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance. The participants reaffirmed the strong level of cooperation between the United States and the Government of Japan on humanitarian issues and, as world leaders in humanitarian response situations, agreed to explore new avenues for continued collaboration and coordination.

Arthur E. Dewey, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, William J. Garvelink, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance and Kaoru Ishikawa, Director General of the Global Issues Department for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led their respective delegations in discussing global and multilateral issues, including: policy priorities and practice of humanitarian assistance; human security; meeting global challenges multilaterally; food security issues; humanitarian initiatives and opportunities for sustained coordination in Iraq, Afghanistan and crises on the African continent.

The delegations agreed to continue these talks to determine a framework for increased cooperation between the governments in humanitarian affairs. The next meeting will be held in Tokyo in spring 2005.

2004/1360 [End] Released on December 14, 2004