The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) announced the new projects provisionally selected^*1 for the Fiscal Year 2019 Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program (Appendix 1).

SATREPS is a science and technology diplomacy initiative that promotes international joint research using advanced science and technology from Japan in combination with Official Development Assistance (ODA). The program is a collaboration between JST and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Based on the needs of developing countries, JST and JICA cooperate to promote international joint research targeting global issues with an objective of utilization of research outcomes^*2. Implemented through collaboration with ODA, the aim of the program is to acquire new knowledge and technology that lead to the resolution of global issues and the advancement of science and technology, and through this process, to create innovations. International joint research under this program also aims to enhance the research and development capabilities of developing countries, and helps create sustainable research systems able to address and resolve issues. Also, SATREPS will actively correspond to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)^*3 and contribute to the international community.

For FY2019, JST called for project proposals from researchers in Japan in three research areas—Environment/Energy, Bioresources, and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation—and began to accept proposals on September 11th, 2018. A total of 119 proposals were received by the close of applications on November 12th, 2018. The screening committee, composed of external experts, then reviewed the proposal documents and conducted interviews, including review from an ODA perspective, and provisionally selected 10 new projects, comprising 7 projects collaborating with Asian researchers, 2 with African researchers, and 1 with South American researchers. Project involving Republic of Malawi was selected for the first time, bringing the total number of countries selected for SATREPS projects to 50.

Support for these projects will commence as soon as the contracts are in place and preparations are complete.

SATREPS projects in the field of Infectious Diseases Control were transferred to the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) on April 1st, 2015, and are now conducted in collaboration between AMED and JICA.