Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Visit Ethiopia and Angola and to Attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Summit)

August 23, 2002

Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, will visit Ethiopia and Angola from August 25 (Sun) to 29 (Thu). She will also visit South Africa from August 29 (Thu) to September 6 (Fri) to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Summit).
In Ethiopia, Ms. Kawaguchi will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and have ministerial talks with Mr. Seyoum Mesfin, Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, to exchange views on Japan-Ethiopia relations and regional security affairs in the Horn of Africa. At the invitation of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), she will deliver a policy speech at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) on Japan's cooperation with Africa toward TICAD III to be held in the latter half of the next year. She will also have talks with members of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and NGO staff from Japan.
In Angola, Ms. Kawaguchi will pay a courtesy call on President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and have ministerial talks with Minister of External Relations Joao Bernardo de Miranda on Japan-Angola relations and the country's post-conflict rehabilitation after the end of 27-year civil war since independence in April this year. She will visit Huambo, the most grueling battlefield of the civil war, to observe the landmines removal programmes.
At the Johannesburg Summit, Ms. Kawaguchi will review the implementation of Agenda 21, which was adopted at the United Nations Environment Development Conference (World Summit) held in 1992 in Brazil and identify new challenges, and also discuss issues of development.
Taking this opportunity, Ms. Kawaguchi will have bilateral talks with her counterparts on issues of development of Africa and other developing countries and environment.

(END)

Back to Index