Japan-Africa Relations on the Rise: Prime Minister Abe’s Visit to Africa

Is Japan physically too distant to be a friend of Africa?  Our Prime Minister’s answer is a clear NO.  H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, has completed his first major tour in Africa.  Prime Minister Abe promised to “set (his) foot on African soil at the earliest possible time” at the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) last June.  And this visit is a clear testimony that Prime Minister’s words of commitment towards Africa are never an empty talk.

Prime Minister’s trip to Africa started from Cote d’Ivoire on Friday 10^th January, then to Mozambique, and finally to Ethiopia, where he gave a landmark policy speech on Africa at the African Union Headquarters on Tuesday 14^th January.  Although he could not come to Nairobi this time, it is important to underline that this should be just one of many visits to follow. 

Goals of Prime Minister Abe’s Visit to Africa

Japan-Africa relations are at an important juncture to develop to the next stage.  Prime Minster Abe has repeatedly expressed his intention to build a true partnership with African friends, by way of “thinking together and working together.”  The main objectives of this visit were to establish stronger partnership with Africa, to promote Japanese investment, and to follow up on the TICAD V outcomes.

·      Stronger Partnership with Africa

The primary goal of the visit is to expand the existing Japan-Africa partnership.  Prime Minister is resolved to build up on the TICAD V momentum by visiting this continent and meeting with African people personally.

·      More Japanese Private Investment

Prime Minister Abe brought a large delegation of Japanese private companies to Africa.  Prime Minister himself has been taking a strong initiative in enhancing Public-Private Partnership.  In this connection, a high-level business forum participated by both Japanese and African business leaders was conducted in Mozambique on 12^th January.

Prime Minister is also aware of the need to set the grounds for investment.  One important incentive for corporate investment could be rich human resources in Africa.  As promised at TICAD V, Japan will continue supporting Africa to foster the human capital for private companies, particularly for Japanese investors.  If Africa succeeds in unleashing its huge potential of the youth through human development, it will not be in a far future to see many African countries join the middle-income group through increased trade and investment.  And this will be a win-win situation for both Japan and Africa, as Japan’s economic strength is built on a cornerstone of international cooperation and trade. 

·      TICAD V Follow-Up

The Government of Japan has started implementing its TICAD V pledges in various fields such as gender, agriculture, education, health, and infrastructure.  As demonstrated in his address at the UN General Assembly last September, Prime Minister Abe is especially keen on gender issues, and his Government has been promoting policies to fully utilize the potential of Japanese women.  The importance of women’s role in the development and prosperity of a society is obvious, not only in Japan, but also in every part of the world.  Under Prime Minister Abe’s leadership, Japan will remain committed to gender issues in Africa as well.

Promotion of peace and stability in Africa is also a key agenda for Prime Minister Abe.  For example, Japan has been strenuously supporting institutions in Africa that are training personnel for peace keeping operations, including the International Peace Support Training Centre in Kenya.  In South Sudan, where stakes have heightened recently, the Japanese Self Defense Forces’ engineering unit has been under operation at the UN Mission.  With a strong conviction that peace and security are the very basic precondition for growth and development, Japan remains fully engaged in this area.

Kenya as a Role Model

I echo with Prime Minister Abe in referring to Kenya as a model for Japan’s cooperation towards Africa.  Prime Minister frequently cited Japan’s partnership with Kenya as a good example in his opening remarks at TICAD V.  He mentioned the Toyota Kenya Academy in Nairobi as a superb precedent of the African hubs for human resource development.  He also shed light on the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment Project, known as SHEP, pointing to an agriculture specialist, Dr. Jiro Aikawa, who was active in Eldoret. 

Japan and Kenya commemorated the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of our diplomatic relations last year.  And this year marks the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Nairobi.  At this timely moment, the Government of Japan is determined to make use of various opportunities where the two countries can strengthen their ties.

Japan has been a top donor to Kenya for quality infrastructure projects.  Just to name a few, Mombasa Port, Olkaria Geothermal Plant, Sondu/Miriu Hydropower Plant, and Nairobi Western Ring Road are some of the icons of Japanese cooperation.  In addition to these hard (physical) components of development, Japan sees importance in soft (intangible) components.  One area where Japan may be able to assist Kenya is governance.  As Kenya strives to pursue its bold reforms under the 2010 Constitution including devolution, it is Japan’s humble wish if we can lend a hand to national as well as county authorities.  We thereafter hope that dividends of the reform be properly distributed to the Kenyan people while good governance is achieved.

In closing, I would like to reiterate that it is the earnest hope of the people and government of Japan that our commitment towards Africa will continue to bring hopes and smiles to people in Kenya, Africa, and the world as a whole.  I am confident that Prime Minister Abe’s latest visit has sent you this message clearly.