Japan's Initiative for Cooperation for Africa

Education-Human resources development is the foundation of nation-building: Japan engages in steady implementation of the "Basic Education for Growth Initiative (BEGIN)." It will actively utilize approximately US$2 billion (250 billion yen) of its ODA to low-income countries including African countries in the education sector.

Professional Training-creation of job opportunities and contribution to economic growth: Japan will help develop the "Senegalese-Japanese Professional Training Centre" as a center of excellence for professional training in West Africa, which will expand training opportunities for engineers in such fields as electricity and automobile technology.

ICT to realize people's potential: Japan will promote use of ICT in education, health, and other fields by helping to develop basic infrastructure such as telephone and radio networks as well as human resources in the information and communication technology sector.

Providing safe drinking water to people: Japan launched "Grant Aid for Water Security," a fund amounting to about US$130 million (16 billion yen) for FY 2003, which will be used to support areas including Africa. Japan will provide assistance for capacity-building for approximately 1,000 people, including African nationals over the five-year period beginning FY 2003.

River-basin development: Japan will seek ways to cooperate in developing the basins of international rivers in Africa, recognizing the importance of such development.

Strengthening cooperation with development partners: Japan will strengthen international partnership in the water sector with the United States and France, through such measures as eradication of the guinea worm in West Africa and water resources management in the Senegal River basin, respectively.

For the future of children: Reflecting on its own experiences in eradicating polio in the western Pacific region, Japan will aim to provide funding of approximately US$80 million through FY 2005 for polio eradication in Africa and elsewhere in the world.

Japan will continue to implement the "Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative" and pursue effective collaboration with the "Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria."

Promoting action via centers of excellence: Japan will promote support for neighboring countries via centers of excellence such as those in Kenya, Ghana, and Zambia.

Tackling Famine: Japan extended US$30 million in assistance to combat the food crisis in southern Africa in the latter half of 2002. It provided further food aid amounting to approximately US$11 million for Ethiopia and Eritrea in February 2003, and decided to provide additional food aid amounting to approximately US$55 million to other African countries.

Contribution to food security: Japan will contribute human and financial resources to the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) and other institutions that are in charge of research, development, and dissemination of "New Rice for Africa (NERICA)."

Promoting rural development with citizen participation: Japan will consider ways to develop rural infrastructure, augment food self-sufficiency, and combat desertification and also support projects such as "Food-for-Work" implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Continued support for developing infrastructure: Japan has committed approximately US$2.4 billion in assistance to Africa over the past five years in four infrastructure sectors: transportation, communication, energy, and water. In recognition of the importance of infrastructure development, in the coming years Japan plans to disburse up to approximately US$1.06 billion (130 billion yen) in accordance with this commitment and continues to provide assistance. For the promotion of the NEPAD program, Japan is also studying ways to contribute to infrastructure development that would boost regional cooperation.

Expanding market access: Japan has expanded by 198 items duty-free and quota-free access to LDCs' products. As a result, approximately 93% of imports from LDCs will be duty-free and quota-free in value terms, starting April 2003.

Promoting "Public and Private Partnership": With a view to facilitating investment by Japanese companies in Africa, Japan will utilize overseas investment loans managed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Its target amount for Africa is about US$300 million for the next five years.

Support for enhancing trade-related capacities: In active cooperation with the WTO, Japan will help to enhance the ability of African countries' capacities to deal with trade issues.

Promoting Asia-Africa economic exchanges: In July 2003, Japan will hold the "Asia-Africa Joint Forum" inviting participants from the public and private sectors of Asia and Africa.

Japan will forgive the debts of HIPCs and other eligible countries in Africa by cancelling yen-loan ODA debts amounting to approximately US$3 billion. Corresponding to this measure, through international frameworks such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP), Japan will seek to intensify policy dialogue with the countries concerned in order that these countries will invest in socio-economic development priorities including education, health, and development in economic and social infrastructure.

Japan, through its contribution to the Poverty Reduction Strategies Trust Fund (PRSTF) at the World Bank and other measures, proactively supports the formulation and implementation of PRSP in African and other developing countries, promoting an appropriate focus in PRSPs on the role of economic growth. The PRSTF was established with initial contributions of US$10 million each from Japan and the Netherlands.

Japan will promote cooperation in the fields of reintegration of ex-soldiers into civil society, de-mining, small arms, assistance to refugees and IDPs, as well as assistance to neighboring countries affected by conflicts. For that purpose, Japan will continue to make the most of "Grant Aid for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building" in the amount of approximately US$100 million (12 billion yen) and the "Trust Fund for Human Security," and promote cooperation with international organizations and civil societies.

Utilizing "Grant Aid for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building" and other funds, Japan has already extended about US$7 million of support to Sierra Leone to contribute to reintegration of ex-soldiers, revitalization of local communities, and other objectives. Japan is considering support for the project to reintegrate ex-child soldiers into civil society through peace education, training, and other means in Angola, Sierra Leone, Burundi, and Mozambique through the "Trust Fund for Human Security."

With respect to Angola, Japan is currently considering cooperation in areas including de-mining, reintegration of ex-soldiers, and return and rehabilitation of IDPs and refugees.

Fostering cooperation with African regional organizations: Japan will continue to actively support activities of African regional organizations including the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the areas of conflict prevention, management, and resolution.