Tokyo – October 26, 2009 – Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada addresses the African Diplomatic Corps at a Meeting of the Tokyo Africa Club (TAC), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters.

The highlight of the October 26th meeting of the Tokyo Africa Club (TAC) held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters in Tokyo was the presence of Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, and the assurances he gave to the assembled African Diplomatic Corps in respect of the new Hatoyama Administration’s Africa policy.

A key element of the Minister’s address was further confirmation that the Government of Japan would implement, “without fail”, the commitments made at the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development  -  TICAD IV  -  held in Yokohama, in May 2008. (Please click here for the full text of the Remarks made by Minister Okada.)

Those commitments included the promise to double ODA to Africa to U$ 1,8 billion per annum by 2012, and to actively support the doubling of Japanese private sector investment in Africa within the same time-frame.  In this regard, the Minister confirmed that the Hatoyama Administration would continue to work closely with the Japanese private sector and would continue to “proactively provide support for their business activities” (for further information, please see the Press Release made by MOFA on the meeting).

In addition, the Minister signalled the intention of the Hatoyama Administration to “play a proper role in efforts to establish and consolidate peace” in Africa, “ including Peace Keeping Operations”, and noted that without peace and stability, sustainable growth and development could never be achieved.

Responding, on behalf of the African Diplomatic Corps (ADC), to the Minister’s address, the Dean , H.E. Mr. Jean-Christian OBAME, the Ambassador of Gabon to Japan, thanked the Minister for his reassuring comments and noted that the common objective of the TICAD Process was to gradually transform the relationship between Africa and Japan from one based largely on ODA and humanitarian assistance to one based on a strategic partnership from which both sides could derive genuine benefit (Please see the full text of the Remarks by the Dean of ADC).

Key elements of the Dean’s presentation included

•    The fact that the TICAD Process still lacked a Forum which would enable African and Japanese leaders to engage in a political dialogue going beyond development assistance and focusing, rather, on other pressing global challenges;
•    The need for Japan’s political leadership to have a higher profile on the African continent, by way of more frequent visits and exchanges;
•    The need for closer synergy between the TICAD Process and the African Union Commission/NEPAD;

Other issues addressed during the TAC Meeting included

•    The Schedule of Meetings and other elements of the preparatory process leading towards the 2nd TICAD IV Ministerial Follow-Up Meeting, to be held, in Africa, towards the end of May 2010;
•    The Schedule by which the 2nd TICAD IV Annual Progress Report would be compiled prior to the 2nd Ministerial Follow-Up Meeting;
•    The Proposed new format for the web-based TICAD IV Progress Status Matrix; and
•    Details of the forthcoming 2nd Symposium on Trade and Investment, to be organised by MOFA on 12 November, 2009-10-30

(Photos by Randy Yu/ADC/Gabon Embassy)