Prime Minister Presides Over Meeting on Five-Year ODA Strategy

The prime minister presided over a meeting Friday to discuss how to carry out the country's official development assistance over the next five years, including strategies for aid in the healthcare and cultural sectors, the office said. Under the healthcare ODA strategy, the government committed to taking the lead in global healthcare cooperation by leveraging the country's advanced disease prevention system, its information technology-based medical system and other capabilities.

Officials resolved to help developing nations build basic healthcare and medical systems through assistance tailored to each recipient's development level and demands. The plans include strengthening responses to infectious diseases and providing digital health technologies to those countries.

The government decided to launch a new project covering the entire cycle of prevention, diagnosis and treatment to eradicate tuberculosis and malaria, which frequently occur in developing nations. Under the cultural ODA strategy, the government will push for projects aimed at helping recipient nations grow their culture industries, including developing tourism content.

The approach will take into account those countries' unique cultures and local demands while utilizing artificial intelligence and information technology capabilities. During the meeting, the government also approved the results of an inspection into the implementation of 2025 ODA projects, some amendments to this year's ODA projects and a proposal to re-designate key ODA recipient countries.

Details of the amendments and re-designations were not disclosed.

The healthcare strategy centers on building foundational medical systems in recipient countries and improving their capacity to handle infectious disease outbreaks. Assistance will be customized based on each nation's specific development stage and needs.

The new tuberculosis and malaria project represents an expansion of efforts to address prevalent diseases in developing regions through a full-cycle approach.

Cultural assistance will focus on supporting the growth of local culture industries with an emphasis on tourism-related content development. Projects will incorporate recipient countries' distinct cultural characteristics and stated demands. Officials plan to apply the country's strengths in artificial intelligence and information technology to these initiatives.