hile Chinese influence in Africa often makes headlines, Japan’s development assistance to the continent has a long history. In fact, Japan’s pan-continental diplomatic event—the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)—predates the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation by seven years. Additionally, Japanese officials argue that their approach to African development varies from that of China—focused on promoting cooperation rather than simply the provision of aid or investment.
Since its launch 26 years ago, TICAD has evolved into an open and inclusive multilateral forum for mobilizing and sustaining international support for Africa’s peace, security and sustainable development. The eighth iteration of TICAD will kick off in late August in Tunisia and provides an opportunity for Japan to update its approach to the African continent. Japan’s TICAD diplomacy has been based not only on national interests, but also on humanitarian purposes. In fact, healthcare and disease prevention have been consistent themes since the first TICAD in 1993. During the upcoming TICAD8, Japan’s TICAD diplomacy is expected to further contribute to enhancing basic human needs and human security on the African continent as it continues to struggle with recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In remarks at the Seventh TICAD in 2019, UN Secretary General, António Guterres said TICAD had played a critical role in focusing international dialogue on Africa, built on the twin principles of African ownership and international partnership.
“Since TICAD 6, African nations have made significant progress in the areas of sustaining growth, strengthening governance, promoting health and education, addressing conflict, promoting gender equality and accelerating regional cooperation and integration. The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in July at the African Union Summit in Niger is a particularly important milestone… This can open up vast opportunities for trade and investment. Realizing the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will require investment in regional infrastructure and infostructure to connect African countries by land, sea and air and through telecommunications in the digital era.” - António Guterres, UN Secretary General
According to Kato Ryuichi, vice president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is committed to contributing to Africa’s development. This includes development cooperation initiatives led by the Japanese government and institutions such as JICA as well as the establishment of targets and frameworks for trade and investment by the Japanese business sector.
“Reflecting the discussions and consensus built over TICAD summits, Japan—and consequently JICA—has shifted its priority for Africa to respond to Africa’s development needs. In 1990s, when Africa was suffering from stagnating economic growth and marginalization in the international community, Japan worked to highlight the importance of Africa to the international community and build an open and broad partnership with the continent. In parallel, JICA focused primarily on responding to social development needs such as primary education, primary health, and safe drinking water.” - Kato Ryuichi, vice president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency
However, regarding Tokyo’s motivation for the development of Africa, Bolade M. Eyinla, a professor at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria, observed that Japan’s policy toward TICAD has been based on its national interest. Moreover, the TICAD process can be seen as part of Japan’s balancing diplomacy against the rise of China, as pointed out by Kyoto University Professor Takahashi Motoki. In light of this, it is fair to analyze the TICAD process as embedded in Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision vis-à-vis China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Despite this, Kato Ryuichi argues that unlike foreign competitors like China and India, who have committed billions of dollars in aid to Africa, there were things Japan was doing differently. In particular, he notes that Japanese development cooperation is based on three pillars—1) respect for African ownership and empowering African capacity, 2) a focus on people and ensuring human security, and 3) leveraging Japan’s own development experience to promote development. Ryuichi notes that because of this approach Japan prefers to describe its development engagement as “cooperation” rather than as “aid” or assistance” as is done by other donor countries.
Mr. Ryuichi also believes the lessons of Japanese modernization can help African countries today in creating their own development policies and strategies while maintaining their cultures and traditions.
According to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects of 2019, with rising trade barriers, a build-up of government debt in many developing economies, and deeper than expected slowdowns in several major economies, economic growth in Africa, especially in resource intensive countries, has also slowed substantially in recent years. Many Sub-Saharan African countries have heavy public debt burdens and climate change is already taking a toll. These are some of the difficulties the continent must overcome, but there are also tremendous opportunities—the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will make the region the largest free trade area in the world, Africa is rich in natural resources, digital technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to leapfrog traditional development paths, and, last but not least, Africa’s youth are perhaps its greatest resource.
To do this however, considerations about how Africa’s economic and social development can be accelerated through economic diversification and industrialization must be taken. The continent is experiencing an economic slow-down due to the decline in commodity prices and the region’s youthful population needs increased job opportunities. Furthermore, individual livelihoods need to be strengthened—especially for marginalized groups and geographically remote areas.
At the TICAD8 and beyond, much attention will be paid to how Japan approaches economic cooperation with Africa. The upcoming conference presents an opportunity for Japan to showcase its commitment to universally shared value and maximize opportunities on the continent. This approach can allow Japan and Africa to cooperate in order to address the economic and social challenges that face the region and support sustainable development in line with the desires of those that reside on the African continent.
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Japanese Cooperation for African Development
Zithulele, South Africa. Photo by Joshua Gaunt via Unsplash.
July 4, 2022
While Chinese influence in Africa often makes headlines, Japan’s development assistance to the continent has a long history. Japanese officials argue that their approach to African development goes beyond others by focusing on promoting cooperation, reports Raphael Obonyo.
W
hile Chinese influence in Africa often makes headlines, Japan’s development assistance to the continent has a long history. In fact, Japan’s pan-continental diplomatic event—the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)—predates the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation by seven years. Additionally, Japanese officials argue that their approach to African development varies from that of China—focused on promoting cooperation rather than simply the provision of aid or investment.
Since its launch 26 years ago, TICAD has evolved into an open and inclusive multilateral forum for mobilizing and sustaining international support for Africa’s peace, security and sustainable development. The eighth iteration of TICAD will kick off in late August in Tunisia and provides an opportunity for Japan to update its approach to the African continent. Japan’s TICAD diplomacy has been based not only on national interests, but also on humanitarian purposes. In fact, healthcare and disease prevention have been consistent themes since the first TICAD in 1993. During the upcoming TICAD8, Japan’s TICAD diplomacy is expected to further contribute to enhancing basic human needs and human security on the African continent as it continues to struggle with recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In remarks at the Seventh TICAD in 2019, UN Secretary General, António Guterres said TICAD had played a critical role in focusing international dialogue on Africa, built on the twin principles of African ownership and international partnership.
“Since TICAD 6, African nations have made significant progress in the areas of sustaining growth, strengthening governance, promoting health and education, addressing conflict, promoting gender equality and accelerating regional cooperation and integration. The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in July at the African Union Summit in Niger is a particularly important milestone… This can open up vast opportunities for trade and investment. Realizing the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will require investment in regional infrastructure and infostructure to connect African countries by land, sea and air and through telecommunications in the digital era.” - António Guterres, UN Secretary General
According to Kato Ryuichi, vice president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is committed to contributing to Africa’s development. This includes development cooperation initiatives led by the Japanese government and institutions such as JICA as well as the establishment of targets and frameworks for trade and investment by the Japanese business sector.
“Reflecting the discussions and consensus built over TICAD summits, Japan—and consequently JICA—has shifted its priority for Africa to respond to Africa’s development needs. In 1990s, when Africa was suffering from stagnating economic growth and marginalization in the international community, Japan worked to highlight the importance of Africa to the international community and build an open and broad partnership with the continent. In parallel, JICA focused primarily on responding to social development needs such as primary education, primary health, and safe drinking water.” - Kato Ryuichi, vice president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency
However, regarding Tokyo’s motivation for the development of Africa, Bolade M. Eyinla, a professor at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria, observed that Japan’s policy toward TICAD has been based on its national interest. Moreover, the TICAD process can be seen as part of Japan’s balancing diplomacy against the rise of China, as pointed out by Kyoto University Professor Takahashi Motoki. In light of this, it is fair to analyze the TICAD process as embedded in Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision vis-à-vis China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Despite this, Kato Ryuichi argues that unlike foreign competitors like China and India, who have committed billions of dollars in aid to Africa, there were things Japan was doing differently. In particular, he notes that Japanese development cooperation is based on three pillars—1) respect for African ownership and empowering African capacity, 2) a focus on people and ensuring human security, and 3) leveraging Japan’s own development experience to promote development. Ryuichi notes that because of this approach Japan prefers to describe its development engagement as “cooperation” rather than as “aid” or assistance” as is done by other donor countries.
Mr. Ryuichi also believes the lessons of Japanese modernization can help African countries today in creating their own development policies and strategies while maintaining their cultures and traditions.
According to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects of 2019, with rising trade barriers, a build-up of government debt in many developing economies, and deeper than expected slowdowns in several major economies, economic growth in Africa, especially in resource intensive countries, has also slowed substantially in recent years. Many Sub-Saharan African countries have heavy public debt burdens and climate change is already taking a toll. These are some of the difficulties the continent must overcome, but there are also tremendous opportunities—the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will make the region the largest free trade area in the world, Africa is rich in natural resources, digital technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to leapfrog traditional development paths, and, last but not least, Africa’s youth are perhaps its greatest resource.
To do this however, considerations about how Africa’s economic and social development can be accelerated through economic diversification and industrialization must be taken. The continent is experiencing an economic slow-down due to the decline in commodity prices and the region’s youthful population needs increased job opportunities. Furthermore, individual livelihoods need to be strengthened—especially for marginalized groups and geographically remote areas.
At the TICAD8 and beyond, much attention will be paid to how Japan approaches economic cooperation with Africa. The upcoming conference presents an opportunity for Japan to showcase its commitment to universally shared value and maximize opportunities on the continent. This approach can allow Japan and Africa to cooperate in order to address the economic and social challenges that face the region and support sustainable development in line with the desires of those that reside on the African continent.
