On 22 July, a pre-departure reception was held in Port Moresby for the latest cohort of Papua New Guinean recipients of the Japanese government-funded Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS). The event marked the final milestone before the scholars begin postgraduate studies in Japan next month.
The JDS program, implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to build the capacity of young government officials in developing countries. In Papua New Guinea, the program operates under a bilateral agreement signed between JICA and the Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM) in August 2024.
This year, 14 government officials — including four women — were selected through a competitive screening process involving an operating committee comprised of senior PNG and Japanese officials. The selected Fellows represent a cross-section of key state institutions, including the Departments of Treasury, Finance, Justice & Attorney General, Prime Minister & NEC, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, and the Climate Change and Development Authority.
Over the next two years, the scholars will undertake postgraduate studies in fields such as public finance, governance, international relations, environmental policy, and climate change. These are sectors where institutional capability is both crucial and often under-resourced. The program’s long-term objective is to strengthen PNG’s public sector leadership and policy expertise through overseas training.
The JDS initiative sits within the broader framework of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Papua New Guinea, which marked its 50th anniversary last year. Since the 1970s, JICA has trained close to 5,000 PNG officials through short- and long-term programs. Many of these alumni have gone on to hold senior roles in government, playing a quiet but significant role in shaping PNG’s development trajectory and deepening the bilateral relationship.
For Japan, the JDS and other ODA programs are part of a soft power strategy aimed at long-term regional engagement. For PNG, the investment in human capital provides an important supplement to domestic education and training systems, which remain uneven in quality and access.
As the 2025 Fellows prepare to depart, they carry with them high expectations — not only to succeed academically but to return and help address persistent institutional and development challenges at home. Whether in economic reform, law and justice, or climate resilience, the hope is that their international exposure will translate into domestic impact.