JAXA and ESCAP strengthen partnerships

7 August 2007 - Mr. Hideshi Kozawa, Associate Executive Director of the Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA), visited ICSTD to discuss collaboration between JAXA and ESCAP through a regional disaster management initiative, Sentinel Asia. Mr. Kozawa expressed that the cooperation with ESCAP is considered as an engine supporting the successful implementation of the Sentinel Asia project.

Mr. Sivasankaran Thampi, Chief of the Information, Communication and Space Technology Division (ICSTD), updated JAXA representatives on the preparations being done for the Third Ministerial Conference on Space Technology for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific to be held in Kuala Lumpur from 18 to 23 October 2007.

Mr. Kozawa informed ESCAP representatives that JAXA would launch a communication satellite, Wideband Internetworking Engineering Test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS), which could be used to support communication needs of some countries under the Sentinel Asia project.

The meeting also discussed possible collaboration areas between the two organizations. Mr. Kozawa stated that JAXA, as a space agency, can provide technical expertise and scientific data and information, while UNESCAP, as a regional UN body, has a good track record of assisting member States in how to take advantage of ICST for social and economic development as well as human networks among member States. Mr. Kozawa expressed his hope to strengthen partnerships between JAXA and ESCAP through Sentinel Asia II activities.

As a concrete way forward, ESCAP and JAXA agreed to organize regional meetings to raise awareness of national disaster reduction authorities on disaster mitigation and management utilizing satellite information services made available through the Sentinel Asia project, and to enhance capacity of disaster management agencies of its member States.

After the meeting, Mr. Kozawa expressed his enthusiasm on the strengthened partnerships between the two organizations. He commented that the meeting reconfirmed the importance of collaboration between ESCAP and JAXA and enhancing complementarities by bringing in different expertise to disaster management.

Mr. Thampi expressed his appreciation for the visit of JAXA representatives to ESCAP. He emphasized that disaster mitigation and management is one of ESCAP’s priorities, but the region needs collective efforts of various stakeholders, including national and local governments. “As a coordinator of UN agencies at the regional level, ESCAP can play a key role in assisting member States in the process and make a difference in the lives of people”, he said.