Press Releases
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs SUZUKI Takako by Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme
May 26, 2022
On May 26, Ms. SUZUKI Takako, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call from Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The overview is as follows.
- At the outset, State Minister Suzuki expressed her gratitude to Director Eziakonwa for UNDP’s long-standing contributions to TICAD process as one of the co-organizers. Also, she stated that Japan would like TICAD 8 to be an opportunity to strongly support African-led development and set out a pathway for African development looking ahead to the post-COVID-19 era. Based on her experiences of visit in Kenya and Rwanda in May, State Minister Suzuki introduced start-up businesses and young entrepreneurs’ business activities there.
- In response, Director Eziakonwa emphasized that, in order to regenerate partnership with Africa in future, TICAD 8 becomes more important opportunity than ever while COVID-19 and the situation in Ukraine have a significant impact on African development. Director Eziakonwa also introduced UNDP’s efforts to address the impact of the situation in Ukraine on Africa and its activities to promote private investment in Africa, among others.
- Both sides affirmed their commitment to continuing close coordination towards the successful holding of TICAD 8. Finally, they reaffirmed reinforcing the mutual cooperation between Japan and UNDP.