5 West Africa

(1) Ghana

The Akufo-Addo administration is working on restoring fiscal soundness, diversifying industry, and other measures under the banner of the “Ghana Beyond Aid” concept.

Minister of Energy Agyarko, Chairman of the Ghana-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association Acheampong, and Minister of Finance Ofori-Atta visited Japan between February and April 2018. Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Sonoura, and State Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare Makihara visited Ghana in April and in September respectively.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Botchwey visited Japan in October to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting, and also had lunch with Foreign Minister Kono.

President Akufo-Addo visited Japan in December and had a summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe where they agreed to elevate bilateral relations. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Embassy of Ghana in Japan held an investment forum to promote investment in Ghana.

Foreign Minister Kono's courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo of Ghana (December 11, Tokyo)

Inawashiro

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Gift of a Nakanosawa kokeshi doll (Photo: Inawashiro Town)

President Akufo-Addo of the Republic of Ghana visited Inawashiro Town in Fukushima Prefecture on December13, 2018. This was the third visit to the town as president of the Republic of Ghana and the first in 16 years since 2002. While his stay in the town was only for three hours including lunch and a tour of the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, the town made all-out efforts to prepare, including a welcome by children from local Okinashima elementary school.

The town office held a welcome ceremony and Mayor Zengo presented the President with a Nakanosawa kokeshi doll, a local traditional craft product, as a gift. Due to the special features of this kokeshi doll - its large eyes and nose - the locals affectionately call it “tako-bozu,” meaning an octopus with a monk's shaven head.

President Akufo-Addo explained that the government named the road in front of the Embassy of Japan in Ghana after Dr. Hideyo Noguchi and hopes to apply Japanese technologies in paddy rice production and agricultural product processing.

Interaction with Inawashiro high school students (Photo: Inawashiro Town)

Inawashiro Town is the birthplace of Dr. Noguchi, and Ghana was where he died due to disease while conducting research on yellow fever. Both countries still recognize Dr. Noguchi's contributions and have continued to engage in exchanges in a variety of ways.

With special cooperation of the “Ghana Yosakoi Support Association,” which supports the Japan study tour by Ghanaian high school students, a visit to Inawashiro Town was added to the student's study tour schedule in 2007. Now, lively interaction through homestays between the students from Ghana and Inawashiro high school students takes place, and the Ghanaian students even participated in the sports event for town residents in FY 2018.

Inawashiro is also registered as Ghana's host town for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and has been selected as the pre-games training camp site.

Mr. Ben Nunoo-Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, and Ms. Abigail Kwashi, Minister at the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana, visited the town in December 2018 for a tour of athletic facilities and a signing ceremony for an agreement on a pre-games training camp.

The Government of Japan has also established an award to commemorate Dr. Noguchi's accomplishments - the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize managed by the Cabinet Office. Award reception events were held in Yokohama for the first round of awards in 2008 and the second round of awards in 2013. A researcher from the UK and others received awards in the fields of medical research and medical care activities. The third awards ceremony is scheduled for August 2019, during which awards will be granted for excellent results in Africa and Dr. Noguchi's accomplishments will be commemorated again.

While the words of Dr. Noguchi, “I will never be back without achieving my goals,” which are carved on a beam at his house, are well known, there is another message that he has left behind, which is “purpose, honesty, and patience.” Town elementary and middle schools use this as their educational slogan. Hopefully, these children will someday further broaden the scope of exchange with Ghana.

Signing of a pre-games training camp agreement (Photo: Inawashiro Town)

At the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum (Photo: Inawashiro Town)

(2) Côte d'Ivoire

At the international seminar held in Abidjan in January, the Corridor Development for West Africa Growth Ring Master Plan, created under Japanese technical cooperation, was announced to strengthen the connectivity of West Africa and approved by Côte d'Ivoire and other countries involved. Abidjan is also a pilot city for Japan-France cooperation.

Minister of Economic Infrastructure Kouakou visited Japan in February. Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Sonoura visited Côte d'Ivoire in April, followed by State Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare Makihara visiting in August. Minister of Planning and Development Kaba attended the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October and held a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sato where they affirmed to work to further strengthen economic relations.

(3) Sierra Leone

The new Bio administration that began in April after the election is focusing on building a stable, peaceful, open, and pluralistic democracy, and is prioritizing fields such as job creation and high-quality education. Japan dispatched Japan-African Union (AU) Parliamentary Friendship League Chairman Aisawa to the inauguration ceremony of the president in May as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister, where he made a courtesy call to President Bio and held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Kabba.

State Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare Makihara and House of Representatives member Makishima Karen visited Sierra Leone in August where they paid a courtesy call to Vice President Jalloh. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Kabba visited Japan to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October where he held a foreign ministers' meeting and expressed Sierra Leone's gratitude for Japan's support.

(4) Senegal

Interest in Senegal from Japanese companies is increasing due to the country's stable domestic situation and position as a gateway to West Africa. The Japan-Senegal Public-Private Conference for Infrastructure was held in Dakar in January with the participation of about 20 Japanese companies. At the meeting, State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Makino and Minister of the Infrastructure, Land Transport and a Better-Connected Nation Diallo signed a memorandum promoting “quality infrastructure investment” and continuing the cooperative bilateral relationship.

State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Okuno visited Senegal in August, while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sato visited in November to attend the fifth Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad Kaba visited Japan to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October and held a foreign ministers' meeting in which Japan and Senegal affirmed to work together to conclude a bilateral investment agreement to support the expansion of Japanese companies into the country.

(5) Togo

In Togo, under the long-serving administration of President Nasashinbe who won a third term in 2015, in advance of the presidential election in 2020, opposition parties are against the existing constitution not having a clause that bans re-election. This has affected the security situation due to clashes between protesters and security forces that has resulted in casualties. On the other hand, Togo held the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) until July 2018. In addition to improving political tensions in Guinea-Bissau, it also held an ECOWAS-ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) joint summit meeting and ECOWAS summit meeting in Lomé at the end of July.

State Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare Makihara visited Togo in August, which included a courtesy call to President Gnassingbe.

(6) Nigeria

Nigeria has high economic potential and many Japanese companies have great interest in expanding into the country, but the country is plagued by the problem of terrorist acts by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, mainly in the northeastern region.

President Buhari became the new president of ECOWAS in July. He offered support for the Guinea-Bissau parliamentary election and dispatched the president of the ECOWAS Commission Brou with the main focus being the peace and stability of the region. Nigeria also promoted efforts toward introducing a single currency in the region and organizational reform of the secretariat.

State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Akimoto visited Nigeria in September, and signed a memorandum of cooperation with Minister of Transportation Amaechi for promoting quality infrastructure investment.

(7) Burkina Faso

Domestic politics in Burkina Faso had been unstable flux since the uprising in 2014, but the political situation has been comparatively stable since the inauguration of President Kaboré in 2015. On the other hand, Islamist radicals entering from Mali has become an issue because of the worsening security situation in neighboring Mali. There were several terrorist attacks in March 2018, such as the attack by a terror group on the military headquarters in the capital Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso had been one of two countries in Africa keeping diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, in May, it severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan and restored them with China.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Burkinabe Abroad Alpha Barry visited Japan to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October and held a foreign ministers' meeting. President Kaboré and his spouse visited Japan in November on an official working visit. He held a summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe and affirmed the strengthening of friendly bilateral ties.

Japan-Burkina Faso Summit Meeting: Photograph of the salute and the guard of honor ceremony (November 19, Tokyo. Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)

(8) Benin

Benin is said to be a model of democratic country in West Africa and witnessed the peaceful transition of the presidency presidents since the 1990s. President Talon, a former entrepreneur, has set countering corruption as his administration's highest priority. His administration has been operating stably since its inauguration in 2016.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Agbénonci visited Japan in June and during the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October, and held foreign ministers' meetings during each visit. At the meetings, bilateral relations and cooperation in the international arena were discussed.

Japan-Benin Foreign Ministers' Meeting (October 7, Tokyo)

(9) Mali

Ever since gaining independence, Mali has had to deal with conflict with the Tuareg group in the north of the country. Implementation of the agreement of peace and reconciliation signed in 2015 between Mali's Government and the northern armed groups continues to be a challenge even after three years has passed.

The entering into the country of Islamist radicals from the north and the spread of terrorism into the central and southern parts of Mali as well as into neighboring countries has become a serious problem. France's Operation Barkhane and the G5 Sahel Joint Force consisted of the G5 Sahel countries (Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad) have been deployed to respond to the security problem.

Japan provides the Malian police forces and law enforcement authorities with equipment to help them maintain security. Japan has also coordinated with UN organizations to provide support for the Peacekeeping School in Mali.

During the presidential election held in August, incumbent President Keita defeated the opposition candidate and was re-elected.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Kamissa Camara visited Japan to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October and held a foreign ministers' meeting in which she discussed security measures in Mali and cooperation in the international arena with Japan.

(10) Liberia

In Liberia, after former President and 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Sirleaf served two terms in office as the first female head of state ever to be democratically elected in Africa, she was succeeded in the December 2017 election by a former professional soccer player Weah who had also served as a manager of a Japanese soccer team. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sato attended the inauguration ceremony of President Weah in January as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister, and paid a courtesy call to the new president.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Findley visited Japan to attend the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in October and held a foreign ministers' meeting in which Liberia expressed its gratitude for Japan's support.