We Are Tomodachi Summer 2018

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6f t e r t h e C o l d Wa r,international support forAfrican development waswaning, so Japan launched TICADto address the challenges the continentfaced. Among these challenges werepoverty alleviation, human resourcedevelopment, and economic growth.Co-organizers for TICAD includesome heavy hitters, among theminternational developmentorganizations such as the WorldBank and United Nations institutions.More recently, the African UnionCommission is participating as anorganizer as well. Such an open,diverse mixture of multi-stakeholdersis unique to TICAD.“TICAD pioneers new territory,uniting Africa with countries andregions from the EU and the Americasto China, Korea, and India toparticipate in high-level, bilateraldialogue forums with Africa for thebenefi t of the continent,” says KenzoOshima, Managing Director of theAfrica Society of Japan.As the conference has evolved,its focus has shifted from assistanceto private sector-led activities, suchas trade and investment—adaptingto Africa’s ever-changing needs.Traditional government-basedassistance to relieve poverty suchas Offi cial Development Assistance(ODA) remains important as a baseof economic development. However,for sustainable development, societyneeds job creation and economicgrowth, and for that to happen,private sector investment is imperative.TICAD VI, held in Nairobi, Kenya,in 2016, attracted 200 privatecompanies from Japan and led tothe establishment of the Japan-AfricaPublic-Private Economic Forum.This new mechanism is expectedto promote cooperation betweenthe public sector and private enterprisesand helps drive commercial enterprise,investment, and trade in Africa.In international developmentcooperation including for Africa,Japan has laid emphasis on nurturingself-reliance and on the dualprinciples of African ownership andinternational partnership. Humanresources development accompaniedby skills transfer is an important facetof this policy.Looking ahead, it is hoped thatAsia-Africa partnerships, as well asprograms to promote “south-south”and “triangular” cooperation willbe strengthened.AKenzo Oshima is Managing Director of theAfrica Society of Japan and former PermanentRepresentative of Japan to the United Nationsas well as Under-Secretary-General for HumanitarianAffairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD),a multilateral forum for high-level policy dialogue between leaders and development partners,providing African ownership and international partnershipsFEATURE Japan in AfricaMore than a Helping Handto Africa