On 20th July, seven representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and 14 from NGO members met for the 69th Open Regular Dialog on GII-IDI at MOFA, Tokyo.

The 2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS, 31st May to 2nd June, at UN New York, saw five NGO representatives take part in the official Japanese delegation. MOFA reported to the GII-IDI meeting that it valued the collaboration with the NGOs, and looked forward to further collaboration and dialog for the next meeting scheduled for 2008.

NGO representatives also positively evaluated the MOFA/NGO collaboration in that their input of NGO recommendations to the High Level Meeting and for the draft political declaration had been appreciated, and that for the first time a Japanese youth representative had been included in the delegation.

The representatives further requested that they be included in the drafting process for the next meeting in order to confirm that Japan's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS does not retreat from the position taken in 2001.

MOFA reported that Japan was continuing with its support to the Global Fund, and had so far given US$0.48 billion. Furthermore, the Health and Development Initiative, Japan's contribution to achieving the health related MDGs, had received US$0.62 billion in the first year cycle through Grant Aid and loan assistance.

In order to encourage the fight against infectious and other diseases in Africa, the Japanese government announced the establishment of a prize in memory of Dr Hideyo Noguchi (1876-1928), a Japanese bacteriologist who studied the causes of and worked toward treatments for syphilis and yellow fever. Prime Minister Koizumi advocated the establishment of the "Hideyo Noguchi Prize for Africa" in his visit to Africa in May 2006.

The prize, tentatively set at approximately 100 million yen with the first award expected on the occasion of TICAD IV in 2008, will be given to individuals with outstanding achievements in the fields of medical research and medical services taking place in Africa or activities concerned with Africa.

NGOs requested that they be included in the selection process and committee for awarding the prize.

With the internal reorganization of the MOFA, the department concerned with the GII/IDI meeting changed from the Aid Planning Division to the Global Issues Cooperation Division in the newly established International Cooperation Bureau. (See associated article here)