Message from the Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe
on the Occasion of the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union
January, 2007
Japanese
Chair of the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union,
Your Excellency, Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union,
Your Excellency, Ato Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegations of Member States of the African Union,
I extend my sincerest congratulations on convening this Eighth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union.
The AU, which celebrates its 5th anniversary this year, has acted as the symbol of African unity and the spirit of self-endeavor. Japan highly appreciates the role the AU has been playing in various fields including peace and security, and welcomes the steady progress of its institutionalization.
In this Session, I understand that the AU Assembly will discuss science and technology, climate change in Africa, and peace and stability issues including situations in Darfur and Somalia. These issues are important both for the stability and sustainable development in Africa and for the international community. Japan hopes that this meeting will be a productive one.
I believe that reform of the United Nations, especially of the Security Council, is a matter of great urgency, to adapt the UN, established right after World War II, to the political realities of the 21st Century. In this connection, I expect that realistic and flexible discussions shall be further enhanced in this Session and that they will contribute to the early realization of reform.
So far, in international fora, Japan has been working together with Africa to address various issues of the international community. We would like to build an even stronger partnership with Africa and to work more closely with Africa to meet various international challenges.
In 2008, Japan will host TICAD IV (the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development). Japan has been actively supporting Africa's development, through the process of TICAD, by making steady efforts to achieve our 2005 commitment to double our ODA for Africa in three years. Japan would like to make TICAD IV an even more meaningful conference than previous ones. In this regard, the year 2007 is very important in terms of preparation, and Japan ardently hopes to cooperate with Africa.
In advance TICAD IV, we will hold the 4th Africa-Asia Business Forum (AABF IV) in Tanzania next month intending to promote trade and investment between Africa and Asia, and we will also have the TICAD Ministerial Conference on Energy and Environment for Sustainable Development in Kenya in March. We believe that to reduce poverty in Africa, economic development through trade and investment is indispensable, and for sustainable development in Africa, solving energy poverty and environmental degradation is vital. I hope that both conferences greatly contribute to realizing sustainable and genuine development of Africa and I look forward to Africa's active participation and contribution.
Finally, allow me to express my sincere wish for the success of this meeting, and the continued good health of you all.
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