"The African continent is endowed with enormous natural and mineral resources. It is known today that Africa accounts for 10 % of global crude-oil reserves, 75 % of Cobalt, 47% of Diamond, 80 % of Platinum, 40 % of Chrome, 38% of Uranium, 32 % of Gold and 28 % of Manganese. Moreover, the continent is rich with abundant flora and fauna, which render it highly suitable for the promotion and development of eco-tourism. In addition, Africa with the globe’s third largest population (13% of the world population), is not only a significant reservoir of human resources ready for active engagement in the continental and global economy, but also a vast potential market for both global traders and investors.

Despite this considerable wealth of natural and human resources, Africa has not yet been able to take advantage of the new global market place, representing only 1.6 percent of world trade and one percent of global investment.

But a new dynamic is being created to accelerate the integration of Africa into the world economy. Thus, considering that Trade and Investment can be powerful engines for growth and poverty reduction, various initiatives through the TICAD process, in synergy with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), have been launched over the recent years. Those include:

- The Africa-Asia Business Forum (AABF), and
- The Asia-Africa Public and Private Joint Forum (AAJF)

These initiatives are aimed at enhancing economic ties between Africa and Japan as well with Asia at large, by promoting trade and investment between the two regions. The ultimate goals being to boost economic growth, generate income, attract foreign investment, create jobs, and improve competitiveness.

For instance the AABF has been designed to provide a platform for binging business opportunities between Africa and Asia. For Conferences have already been organized under the aegis of AABF in Malaysia (1999); South Africa (2001); Senegal (2004); Kenya (2007).

Other initiatives have also been implemented across the African continent with assistance from bilateral partners including:

- The Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Program (JITAP), Phase II
- Program for Building African Capacity for Trade (PACT)
- The African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC)
- The Canada Investment Fund for Africa (CIFA)
- The NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (IPPF)

Within the context of the implantation of the TICAD IV Plan of Action adopted in May 2008, it has been recognized that developing an infrastructure network is key to support the expansion of industry, trade and investment in Africa. Therefore, the TICAD process has agreed to focus on the following areas:

- Regional transport infrastructure, including roads and ports;
- Regional power infrastructure;
- Water-related infrastructure; and
- Enhanced involvement of regional institutions and the private sector.

Moreover, among the relevant trade investment included in the TICAD IV plan of Action are:

- To scale up “aid for Trade” so as to increase the global competitiveness of African countries;
- To assist in product development and export promotion in Africa, including through the “One Village One Product scheme”;
- To Utilize actively official funding sources such as investment credit, trade and investment assurance to enhance the Public-Private Partnership;
- To expand assistance to support the development of small and medium enterprises and local industries.

For further information on trade and Investment both in Africa and Japan, please refer to the following links: