Japan's Ceapad A Unique Platform For Palestine's Capacity Building, Long-term Development
By Nabilah Saleh
KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Japan views the upcoming Fourth Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD), which it will co-host with Malaysia, as a unique and strategic platform to strengthen capacity building and sustainable development in Palestine, going beyond emergency relief.
The conference, scheduled to take place here Friday, will be held in conjunction with the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings.
Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata said CEAPAD stands apart from other forums by focusing on long-term solutions, including institutional resilience, education, and economic self-reliance for the Palestinian people.
He noted that Japan has long collaborated with institutional organisations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the World Bank to support institutional development in Palestine.
'CEAPAD is a unique platform. While the situation in Palestine is often addressed in political or humanitarian terms, this forum focuses on what comes after, on capacity building and institutional strengthening.
'Japan has been working with UNRWA, the World Bank, and other institutional organisations to help Palestinians, and CEAPAD complements those efforts by bringing in perspectives and expertise from East Asian countries,' he told Bernama in an exclusive interview recently.
He added that Japan, as the initiator of CEAPAD in 2013, is committed to working with partners like Malaysia to coordinate recovery and reconstruction, particularly amid the current devastation in Gaza.
'Given the scale of destruction, it is crucial that we help the Palestinian people rebuild their lives with dignity. Malaysia has been a consistent CEAPAD participant since the beginning, and we value this shared commitment to the Palestinian cause,' he said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Johor, federal govt to push for competitive wages in JS-SEZ
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor government, in collaboration with the federal government, will continue engaging with investors and companies in the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) to implement more competitive minimum wages, including a target of RM4,000 for fresh graduates. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the matter is currently being refined through the Johor Talent Development Council (JTDC). 'This is a strategic move to ensure the welfare of local workers and attract high-quality talent to contribute to Johor's economic development,' he said in a Facebook post today. He also highlighted that clean water supply remains a priority for the state government, expressing appreciation for federal support in approving new infrastructure projects to increase treated water distribution capacity, especially in strategic areas like the JS-SEZ. 'Meanwhile, the long-term plan to develop large-scale raw water resources to meet 2,000 million litres per day by 2060 demonstrates Johor's commitment to ensuring sustainable water supply for residents and industries,' he added. Onn Hafiz affirmed that the state government will continue to ensure smooth, transparent and impactful implementation for the benefit of all Johor residents. 'May these efforts be eased by Allah SWT and may the ambitious goals outlined in the Maju Johor 2030 Agenda be fully realised, driving Johor towards balanced, sustainable and inclusive development, InsyaAllah,' he said. - Bernama


The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Singapore FM to attend 58th AMM and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur
SINGAPORE: Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (pic) will visit Kuala Lumpur from Tuesday (July 8) to attend the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM). The republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the minister will also attend the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMCs), 26th Asean Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM), 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) FMM, and 32nd Asean Regional Forum (ARF) from July 8 to 11. "Minister Balakrishnan will exchange views with his counterparts on regional and international developments at the 26th APT FMM, 15th EAS FMM and 32nd ARF, and discuss ways to advance regional peace and stability as well as promote inclusive and sustainable growth,' MFA said in a statement on Tuesday. MFA said the AMM will reaffirm the ministers' commitment to Asean unity and centrality and discuss ways to advance Asean integration and community building, amid rising geopolitical tensions and geoeconomic uncertainties. The ministers will also continue discussions on Asean's efforts to strengthen cooperation in new growth areas such as the digital economy, green energy, and supply chain connectivity in line with Malaysia's chairmanship theme of Inclusivity and Sustainability. In addition, they will discuss the ongoing preparations for Timor-Leste's admission to Asean as the 11th member at the 47th Asean Summit in October 2025. Meanwhile, Asean will engage its dialogue partners at the PMCs, namely Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States, and review ongoing cooperation. - Bernama


New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Qatar says 'we will need time' for Gaza ceasefire
DOHA: Qatar said Tuesday more time was needed for negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about a possible breakthrough. "I don't think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said as indirect negotiations continued into a third day in Doha. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington, meanwhile, on his third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power. Trump, who is pushing for a ceasefire, expressed confidence a deal could be reached, saying: "I don't think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well." Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings in Doha were focused on a framework for the talks, while a Palestinian official close to the negotiations said no breakthrough had been achieved so far. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff was set to join the talks in Doha this week. On the ground, five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza -- one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory. Gaza's civil defence meanwhile reported 29 killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday. Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building. At the White House, sitting across from Netanyahu, Trump said Hamas was willing to end the Gaza conflict, now in its 22nd month. "They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire," Trump said when asked if ongoing clashes would derail talks. An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was "80-90 percent of what Israel wanted." "I believe that with military and political pressure, all the hostages can be returned," the official told Israeli media. According to Ariel Kahana of Israel Hayom daily, "President Trump and his advisers are currently exerting considerable effort to reach an agreement that would lead to the release of the hostages and could even end the war in Gaza". However, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that "there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds". Netanyahu described the loss of five soldiers in Gaza as a "difficult morning" and mourned "our heroic soldiers who risked their lives in the battle to defeat Hamas and free all our hostages". Israeli military correspondents reported the deaths occurred due to improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza. According to the Israeli military, 450 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign since the start of the ground offensive on October 27, 2023. Gaza's civil defence agency reported 29 people killed in Israeli strikes across the territory, including three children. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the agency, said nine of those were killed in a drone strike on a camp for displaced people in southern Gaza. "I was in front of my tent preparing breakfast for my four children -- beans and a bit of dry bread. Suddenly, there was an explosion," said Shaimaa Al-Shaer, 30, who lives in the camp. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military when contacted by AFP. The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza's more than two million people. While Israel has the full backing of the Trump administration, the US leader has increasingly pushed for an end to what he called the "hell" in Gaza and said on Sunday he believed there was a "good chance" of an agreement this coming week. "The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, two Palestinian sources close to the discussions had earlier told AFP. Hamas was also demanding certain conditions for Israel's withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system, they said. Of the 251 hostages taken by the group during the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. - AFP