JAPAN'S COOPERATION FOR AFRICA BY FIGURE

African Union (AU)

In July 2002, at an OAU top-level meeting held in Durban, South Africa, the OAU (Organization of African Unity), which founded in 1963, was dissolved and renewed as the AU. Its Headquarters Office is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Modeled after the EU (European Union), it consists of an Executive Committee as a supreme decision-making authority, a board of cabinet, and other committees as liaisons to nations and international organizations; the AU now also plans to found a Security Council and an All-African Committee.
The AU now embraces 53 countries and regions, with 800 million people, and is faced with various problems such as domestic and international conflicts, and serious economic and social issues that call for immediate solution.

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New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)

The NEPAD was born on the premise that African development, including the eradication of poverty, the development of sustainable infrastructure, and the construction of global economy, will be achieved, not on aids from the international community, but on Africa's self-awareness of responsibilities. By assisting Africa's efforts for development, the international community has renewed its commitment into the cooperation needed for this goal.
The NEPAD sprung from the NAI (New African Initiative), erected in July 2001 at a summit meeting of the OAU (Organization of African Union) as an initiative by Africans for Africans. The NEPAD carries out its activities through the Executive Committee, the Administrative Committee, and the Director's Office.

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NERICA (New Rice for Africa)

NERICA is a new promising rice species, developed through the hybridization of African rices resistant to disease and dry weather, and Asian rices with high productivity. The name stands for New Rice for Africa (NERICA). The NERICA is characteristic for high productivity, high resistance against disease and grass, and high protein, and requires a short term before harvesting. It is expected that the development and further improvement of NERICA will solve serious famine problems and will contribute to food security in Africa.

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Premise: Support for NEPAD through the TICAD process.
Clear Achievement: Promise and realisation of assistance worth 90 billion yen over a five-year period in the fields of basic human needs.
(Assistance amounting to 93,345,000,000 yen was already realised by the end of September 2003.
*For the details of assistance projects, please refer to "ODA for Real Fruition".)

Human Resources Development and Information Communication Technology (ICT)
"Human resources development is the foundation of nation-building": Japan will utilize actively US $2 billion of its ODA to African countries in the field of education sector. It also plans to promote use of ICT in education, health and other fields.

Water
"Providing safe drinking water to people": Japan has launched a grand aid for water security, 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 from FY 2003.

Health-Care and Medical Issues
For the future of children, Japan will aim to provide funding of approximately US $80 million through 2005 for polio eradication in Africa and elsewhere in the world. Japan will also continue to implement the "Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative".

Food, Agriculture, and Rural development
Food aid by Japan includes the extension of US $ 30 million in assistance to combat the food crisis in Southern Africa. Japan also supports the research, production, and dissemination of the NERICA rice, contributing thus to food security. Japan also promotes rural development with citizen participation.

Infrastructure
Continued support for developing infrastructure, as shown by Japan�s commitment of approximately US $ 1.06 billion in assistance to Africa over the next five years in four infrastructure sectors: transportation, communication, energy and water.

Promotion of Trade and Investment
With a view to facilitating investment by Japanese companies in developping countries, Japan will utilize overseas investment loans. Its targeted amount including for Africa is about US$ 300 million for the next five years.

Debt Relief Program
Japan will forgive the debts of HIPCs and other eligible countries in Africa by cancelling yen-loan ODA amounting to approximately US $3 billion.

Support through Multilateral Development Banks
Japan, through its contribution to Poverty Reduction Strategies Trust Fund at the World Bank and other measures, supports the formulation and implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

Support for Revitalizing Conflict-torn Communities and Domestic Reconciliation
Japan promotes efforts towards the consolidation of peace, in cooperation with international organizations and civil societies, such as "Grand Aid for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building", utilization of "Trust Fund for Human Security", etc.

Supporting Efforts by African Countries to Resolve Conflict (Peace-Making Process)
Japan continues to 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.

Essay Renewed Perspective:"Human Security"

"Human security" is a new focal point of Japan's assistance programs for Africa. Human life and dignity are threatened by various issues such as forced displacement caused by conflicts, and the increasing risk of infectious diseases against the backdrop of globalization. The "human security" thus aims to cultivate problem resolving ability on individual and community levels to secure the people from these threats.

In March 1999, the Government of Japan founded the "Trust Fund for Human Security" within the UN to support various projects promoted by UN organizations aiming to eliminate a variety of problems such as landmines, refugees, and infectious diseases including AIDS. To date (as of August 2003), it has spent approximately $ 19,000,000 as aid for Africa through the Trust Fund.

In Africa, the materialization of "human security" is key in many areas, from armed conflicts to development. In particular, in African countries following a time of armed conflict, what is needed in the process of the re-building of the country-from humanitarian assistance to the reconstruction of infrastructure-is to collect the strength and wisdom of the people concerned, heal the communities destroyed by the conflict, and go forward toward creating a new society.

For example, the reintegration of former soldiers into the society is a big problem to be solved in a post-conflict Sierra Leone. It is essential for former soldiers to be accepted into local communities, to have job trainings, and to live a new life through their participation in the society in order to cultivate mutual respect and reliance among the citizens. Japan has spent a total of $ 3,090,000 as an aid program conducted by the UNDP with cooperation from local societies for job-training projects for former soldiers, and it is highly praised by the people in the concerned areas.

The "human security" perspective, which places an emphasis on individuals and their communities, thus became an important and characteristic part of Japan's cooperation for Africa.

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In this site "Africa" covers all african nations (53 countries) including the North and southern african countries than the Sahara.
Published by : Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, First and Second African Divisions, 2-11-1, Shibakoen Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8519, Japan
Telephone : 03-3580-3311