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Visit to Japan of H.E. Amb. Said Djinnit Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU)
(Overview and Evaluation)

September 10, 2004

(Overview)

Amb. Said Djinnit, the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, paid a visit to Japan from September 3 to 9, during which he held talks with top Japanese officials and also made a visit to the City of Hiroshima and the Kansai region of western Japan. Amb. Djinnit made his visit to Japan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) as part of its Opinion Leader Invitation Program.

  • Meeting with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiken Sugiura: Opinions were exchanged on such matters as the activities of the AU, the activities of theJapan-AU Parliamentary Friendship League, and the situation in Darfur, Sudan.
  • Meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi: Opinions were exchanged concerning the situation in Darfur and the role of the AU. Amb. Djinnit and Foreign Minister Kawaguchi agreed to strengthen partnership between Japan and the AU including the launching of Japan-AU Policy Dialogue.
  • In other meetings with Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masatoshi Abe, Parliamentary Secretary of the Defense Agency Hiroo Nakashima, and President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sadako Ogata, a broad range of issues were addressed, including the situation in the African region, the role of the AU and the modalities for Japan-AU cooperation.
  • Amb. Djinnit visited the Maritime Self-Defense Force base at Edajima, and the Ground Self-Defense Force Transportation School and Public Information Center at Asaka, where he deepened his understanding on Japan's defense policies and equipment.
  • Amb. Djinnit delivered a speech at a Lecture Meeting jointly hosted by the MOFA and JICA, entitled "The current status of Africa and the role of the AU."
  • Amb. Djinnit also paid a visit to cultural and historical sites in Hiroshima and Kyoto.

(Evaluation)

In terms of promoting the relationship between Japan and Africa, Amb. Djinnit's visit was significant for the following reasons:

  • The visit contributed greatly to creating a foundation for further enhanced relations between Japan and the AU, which is the world's largest regional organization representing Africa. Of particular importance, the both sides shared their objectives of commencing the Japan-AU Policy Dialogue, expanding human exchanges, and concrete cooperation in the peace consolidation arena.
  • Valuable exchanges of opinions took place concerning such issues as the Darfur situation and AU policy, which is significant given Amb. Djinnit's position as a to Decision maker in the AU, which is playing a substantive role towards the resolution of Africa's major conflicts.
  • A strong message was appealed to a broader audience as a result of the visit concerning the rapidly increasing importance of African integration, centered on the AU; measures to tackle conflict in Africa; and the importance of cooperation between Japan and the AU.
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