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Solidarity between Japan and Africa
- Concrete Actions -

(Provisional translation)

1. Hand-in-hand Development Assistance with Africa - Aiming to Enhance Synergy between the NEPAD and TICAD Processes

(1) Realizing Human-centered Development

The recognition that human capacity building constitutes the basis of nation building is deeply rooted in the experiences of the Japanese and other Asians people. We emphasize the idea of " human-centered development."

  • Steadily Implementing the Commitments at TICAD II

    --Steadily implementing assistance in basic human needs (BHN) areas, based on the Tokyo Agenda for Action adopted at TICAD II. (It is planned to implement 90 billion yen (approximately $750 million US) over a five year period from October 1998 in the following sectors; education, health and medical care, and supply of safe water. To date a total of approximately 63 billion yen has already been disbursed.)
  • Focusing on Human Resources Development

    --Implementing the new initiative in Africa on education
    • Providing aid amounting to $2 billion US (250 billion yen) to be disbursed in education sectors to low-income countries, including those in Africa, over a five-year period from FY2002.
    • "Basic Education for Growth Initiative (BEGIN)"
  • Continuing the implementation of "the Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative" in Africa
  • Utilizing the Trust Fund for Human Security in the United Nations funded by the Japanese Government to promote cooperation with Africa

(2) Integrating Africa into the World Economy

For further development, mobilization of a variety of resources including domestic resources and trade and investment plays a key role, in addition to the official development assistance (ODA). We emphasize the importance of improvement in market access for products from developing countries as well as of trade-related capabilities of developing countries.

  • Working towards the objective of duty-free and quota-free market access for all LDCs' products

    -- Immediate examination to expand coverage under duty-free and quota-free treatment for LDCs' products by the revisions of tariff-related laws for the next fiscal year which begins on 1 April, 2003.
  • Improving trade-related capabilities (capacity building), promoting technical assistance

    -- Utilizing financial contributions made to the Global Trust Fund of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
    -- Convening of a joint seminar in Geneva by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the WTO on investment and competition policy (Singapore Issues).
    -- Working on the implementation of trade-related training in Africa by JICA (in Egypt).
    -- Providing assistance to regional organizations for the convening of a seminar on trade and investment.

(3) Promoting Asia-Africa Cooperation

Promoting Asia-Africa cooperation in which Africa's own initiatives are advanced in accordance zith regional situations, with reference to Asia's development experiences.

  • Sharing Asia's experiences with Africa

    -- Contributing to stable food supply in Africa through the dissemination of the Asian/African hybrid rice NERICA (New Rice for Africa).
    -- Sharing with African countries Asia's development experiences, including the outcome of the Initiative for Development in East Asia (IDEA).
  • Promoting trade and investment between Asia and Africa

    -- Convening Africa-Asia Joint Forum

(4) Promoting Regional Cooperation in Africa

Helping Africa enlarge market size and utilize domestic resources more effectively through the promotion of regional cooperation.

  • Utilizing the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) more effectively

    -- African development human resources network (ECA Discussion Forum).
    -- Enhancing exchanges between development and trade-related experts through seminars and symposia.
  • Working towards realization of "economies of scale" and economic networks

    -- Assisting the improvement of the capacities of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), towards the promotion of economic exchanges within Africa (Assistance for the convening of seminars, etc.)

(5) Enhancing Ownership in Africa

For peace to settle in, and development efforts to materialize, "good governance" needs to be ensured. Providing assistance to the NEPAD peer review mechanism among African countries.

  • African Peer Review Mechanism

    -- Facilitating the provision of know-how to the NEPAD Peer Review Mechanism by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
    -- Cooperating with the ECA empirical research on the NEPAD Peer Review .

2. Conflict Prevention and Consolidation of Peace - Efforts to Ensure Steps Towards Peace Do Not Regress

Development resources seldom reach regions in conflict, thus economic opportunities through trade and investment are rarely achieved. It is necessary to assist African countries' efforts for the transition from conflict to reconstruction and to assist refugees, who are both the victims of conflicts and the possible player in the future development. It is also important to spread the culture of conflict prevention from regional communities and civil societies to regional organizations.

(1) Assisting the Process from Conflict to Reconstruction

  • Comprehensively implementing such measures as assistance to refugees, de-mining, small weapons, and electoral assistance

    -- As the initial measure, provide assistance to the Plan for Social Reintegration and Assistance to Former Military Personnel in the Republic of Sierra Leone by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (US$3.09 million to the United Nations Fund for Human Security).
    -- Initiating the study on the possible support to the Republic of Angola.
    -- Continuously implementing refugee assistance through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

(2) Enhancing Conflict Settlement Functions of African Regional Organizations

  • Enhancing the functions of the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU)

    -- Providing Assistance for early warning capabilities and the convening of a conference on peace, using the OAU Peace Fund.
  • Enhancement of the function of other regional organizations

    -- Providing assistance for efforts related to conflict prevention in ECOWAS and SADC.

(3) Conflict Prevention at the Grass-roots Level

  • Promoting the efforts for broad-based conflict prevention, including regional society and civil society

    -- Offering assistance, through effective utilization of the funds of international organizations, to enable the regional society, civil society and the socially vulnerable to improve their capacities in conflict prevention.
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