Deputy Minister Dinkova and the Ambassador of Japan discussed cooperation in the field of development aid
06 August 2021 News
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Zaritsa Dinkova received the Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria Hirosha Narahira. During the meeting, the cooperation of the two countries in the field of official development assistance, the possibilities for expanding Japanese investments in Bulgaria, as well as the forthcoming hosting of the city of Osaka of the World Exposition in 2025 were discussed.
"Our country is grateful for the great help provided by Japan during the transition, welcoming the development and upgrading of our relations from such of a donor and a recipient to equl partners," said Deputy Minister Zaritsa Dinkova. She highlighted the two successful joint projects with Japan in the Western Balkans region - a Flood Risk Management Seminar held in Sofia in 2019 and a training course for SME managers at the University of Skopje.
Ambassador Narahira noted the steady progress of existing cooperation in the line of development aid. UNWE has also applied for funds under the Bulgarian ODA - for a project to continue the training program for managers of small and medium enterprises at a university in Kosovo.
Deputy Minister Dinkova, who is also in charge of foreign economic relations, expressed satisfaction with the increase in Japanese investment in Bulgaria, including a Japanese company that has invested in a frozen sushi factory in the Thrace Economic Zone. The Bulgarian state expressed hope that more Japanese companies will choose our country, for which increased awareness about the two countries among businesses would be of help.
A topic of the talks was also the World Exhibition in Osaka in 2025, which would also contribute to strengthening business contacts between Bulgaria and Japan. The theme of the exhibition is "Designing the future society for our lives" with a focus on pandemic recovery, artificial intelligence, the Sustainable Development Goals and intercultural learning. The Japanese state noted the significance of the event, as well as the fact that the city of Osaka already hosted the Expo in 1970, where Bulgaria participated with an impressive stand, which made a strong impression on the Japanese audience. As a result of this participation, our country has concluded a license agreement with the Japanese company Meiji for the production and sale on the Japanese market of yogurt with the brand Bulgaria. The expo in 2025 provides an excellent opportunity for Bulgaria to present its modern look and advantages.