Japan has awarded Nu 143 million to Bhutan through its Human Resource Development Scholarship project, aiming to boost Bhutan’s human capital and strengthen bilateral ties in critical areas like economic policy development. The IDS Scholarship programme, initiated in 2018, has enrolled 36 Bhutanese scholars in Master’s and Doctorate programs in Japan. 12 are currently enrolled, and an additional eight are set to depart this summer. The 60th anniversary of the JOCV programme was celebrated with 22 out of 23 currently in Bhutan. Lyonpo DN Dhungyel praised Japan’s JOCVs and the government for their contributions.
Ambassador Keiichi Ono highlighted the programme’s evolution from five volunteers to over 57,000 in 99 countries, including Bhutan. Ambassador Keiichi Ono pledged to continue supporting Bhutan through JOCV, promoting mutual understanding, grassroots cooperation, and person-to-person exchange. JICA’s Chief Representative Kimata Yoichiro stated that these JOCVs serve as citizen ambassadors to Bhutan and ambassadors upon their return. A total of 663 volunteers have worked in key development sectors in Bhutan.