TICAD

1. On August 24, Mr. Manabu Horii, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Maputo, the Republic of Mozambique to attend a Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial Meeting, attended “the Dialogue with Private Sector from Japan and Africa”, a side event of the Ministerial Meeting which was held at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Center, and delivered a speech. Since TICAD’s inception in 1993, private sectors from Japan and African participated in TICAD at ministerial level for the first time in this Ministerial Meeting.
2. In his remarks, Mr. Horii stated that private-sector companies have a decisive role to play in promoting Africa’s development and economic growth, and TICAD has provided an important platform for public-private dialogue and cooperation. He also stated that high quality products and ability to develop highly-skilled human resources through vocational training are the examples of strengths of Japanese companies and that he is convinced such advanced technical capacities would contribute to address African development challenges. 
3. During this side event, a ceremony was held to announce a total of five memorandums of understandings (MOUs) between five Japanese companies and three African countries.
4. A business networking lunch followed this side event, aiming for business matching among Japanese and African private-sector companies. 

(Reference) This side event was hosted by the Government of Japan, with support from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Confederation of Business Associations of Mozambique (CTA) and the Agency for Investment and Export Promotion (APIEX), and took place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The main attendees were H.E. Mr. Ernesto Max Elias Tonela, Minister of Industry and Trade, Republic of Mozambique, and Hon. Dr. Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry,  Republic of South Africa, along with 400 or more participants from 49 Japanese companies and approximately 130 African companies.