Countries & Regions
Meeting between Foreign Ministers of Japan and the Republic of Congo
June 1, 2013
On June 1, for about 15 minutes from 10:00 am, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan had a meeting with H. E. Mr. Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Republic of Congo. The following is the gist of the meeting. Minister Ikouebe is visiting Japan to participate in the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) held from June 1 through 3.
1. At the beginning, Foreign Minister Kishida welcomed a visit of Minister Ikouebe, and expressed his hope for development both in Africa and Japan in the wake of TICAD V, which marks the 20th anniversary of the TICAD process. Minister Ikouebe expressed his respect to Japan for its contributions to Africa through the TICAD process, which had initiated twenty years ago when most countries did not turn their faces to Africa.
2. Minister Ikouebe, touching upon the current high economic growth in the Republic of Congo, stated that the Republic of Congo had been advancing modernization of industry to be a newly developing country by 2025 and aimed to strengthen economic relations with Japan through the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Congo which had been opened last December, and expected Japan’s expertise and technologies.
3. Foreign Minister Kishida welcomed the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Congo in Japan and expressed his hope to send a government-private sector joint mission on economy to the Republic of Congo in near future for the purpose of increasing trades and investments between the two countries. He also mentioned that Japan would consider an assistance plan to the Republic of Congo, focusing on health and hygiene fields and fishery industry, referring to the technical assistance currently being conducted to add values on seafood products. Minister Ikouebe welcomed a plan of dispatching a government-private sector joint mission on economy with an expectation that it could increase investment opportunities, and expressed his gratitude for the aids provided from Japan to the Republic of Congo as well as his expectation for further assistance.
4. In addition, they exchanged opinions concerning cooperation in the international arena including the development of Africa.
1. At the beginning, Foreign Minister Kishida welcomed a visit of Minister Ikouebe, and expressed his hope for development both in Africa and Japan in the wake of TICAD V, which marks the 20th anniversary of the TICAD process. Minister Ikouebe expressed his respect to Japan for its contributions to Africa through the TICAD process, which had initiated twenty years ago when most countries did not turn their faces to Africa.
2. Minister Ikouebe, touching upon the current high economic growth in the Republic of Congo, stated that the Republic of Congo had been advancing modernization of industry to be a newly developing country by 2025 and aimed to strengthen economic relations with Japan through the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Congo which had been opened last December, and expected Japan’s expertise and technologies.
3. Foreign Minister Kishida welcomed the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Congo in Japan and expressed his hope to send a government-private sector joint mission on economy to the Republic of Congo in near future for the purpose of increasing trades and investments between the two countries. He also mentioned that Japan would consider an assistance plan to the Republic of Congo, focusing on health and hygiene fields and fishery industry, referring to the technical assistance currently being conducted to add values on seafood products. Minister Ikouebe welcomed a plan of dispatching a government-private sector joint mission on economy with an expectation that it could increase investment opportunities, and expressed his gratitude for the aids provided from Japan to the Republic of Congo as well as his expectation for further assistance.
4. In addition, they exchanged opinions concerning cooperation in the international arena including the development of Africa.