Aug 05, 2018 | CEO Blog

NEPAD-JICA Annual Partnership Dialogue

Picture of Dr Mayaki with the President of JICA, Dr Kitaoka.

Via The NEPAD Agency’s website:

Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, NEPAD Agency’s CEO, led a delegation to Japan to attend NEPAD-JICA annual dialogue from 28 July to 5 August. The objective of NEPAD-JICA annual partnership dialogue was to discuss the progress made and future plans for further cooperation. The dialogue this year focussed on future joint works towards the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) 7 which will be held in Japan, in 2019.

Several meetings were held with key Japanese institutions with whom the NEPAD Agency has been building strategic partnerships, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Keizai-Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), and African Ambassadors in Tokyo- African Diplomatic Corps (ADC), in order to exchange opinions on critical regional issues for development in Africa and further strengthen ties with them. In addition, the TICAD Joint Monitoring Committee was also held during the same week in Tokyo and the NEPAD Agency was invited to attend the meeting as a member of the committee by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The African Ambassadors in Tokyo, African Diplomatic Corps (ADC) have been proactively involved in the TICAD preparations and continues to work with all stakeholders, in particular with the MOFA and the AU, towards the success of TICAD 7to be held in Yokohama, 2019. TICAD is raising the partnership between Japan and Africa to a new level, with both sides expressing willingness to work together toward the realisation of Agenda 2063. In this regard, the ADC are of the view that the TICAD process should remain an African developmental forum.

At the JICA seminar facilitated by the JICA Senior Vice President for Africa, Mr Hiroshi Kato, Dr Mayaki’s presentation focussed on ‘Africa’s position in the Global Society and Way Forward: Towards the achievement of Agenda 2063.’ Dr Mayaki highlighted the following: Transitions that Africa is going through today; Africa’s different perceptions by thought thinkers and economist; and shaping the future.

The NEPAD-JICA Annual Partnership Dialogue, held at the JICA Head Quarters centred on key commitments and policy priorities identified in the memorandum of cooperation between JICA and NEPAD including the plans for TICAD7. Sectorial Sessions included Infrastructure (water, energy, and corridor developments), the Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa and the Africa Kaizen Initiative.

Other technical working engagements included meetings with Keizai-Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and Mr Tetsuro Yano, President of the Association of African Economy and Development, where framework of Africa’s Well-being Initiative was discussed. Dr Mayaki delivered a lecture on challenges and prospects of ‘African Business-from Kaizen to Innovation,’ at the UN University. A meeting was also held at the JBIC on investment in Africa.

The next steps will entail implementing the recommendations the annual dialogue in three key areas: regional infrastructure, nutrition (through Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa) and industrialisation (through Kaizen) with regular monitoring of progress towards the next annual meeting in South Africa (2019) and the TICAD 7 in Yokohama.