Japan Courts Africa With US$32 Billion Package

Zimbabwe President Mugabe welcomes Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National corporation president Mr Hirobumi Kawano at a hotel in Yokohama, Japan., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Japan courts Africa with US$32 billion package

Tuesday, 04 June 2013 00:00
Rangarirai Shoko in YOKOHAMA, Japan
Zimbabwe Herald

JAPAN launched a strong diplomatic charm offensive in Africa on Saturday, unveiling a US$32 billion aid package for the continent for the next five years as Tokyo seeks to catch up with other powers in the race for Africa’s vast natural resources.

Officially opening the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (Ticad) here, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Asian country was keen to “dash forward together, hand in hand” with Africa in a partnership spanning both economic and social spheres.

“The future of Africa is bright indeed. And yet the Africa that joins in partnership with Japan is brighter,” Abe told the conference.

In addition to the new US$32 billion aid package, the premier said Japan will provide a further US$6.5 billion in assistance specifically for infrastructure development on the continent in the next five years to underpin Africa’s economic growth, which now hold the brightest potential in the world. Tokyo’s charm offensive comes against the backdrop of increased competition among world powers for a share of Africa’s vast natural resources, especially minerals.

China and India, two huge Asian powers with billion-strong populations, have particularly made significant inroads in Africa, and Tokyo is keen to catch up with them, as well as Europe and the US. But Africa, feeling flattered by the rival attention from the world powers, is becoming increasingly choosy.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, co-chairing the Ticad conference with Abe in his capacity African Union (AU) chairman, said the continent had shifted the goal-post to its resources, and would now insist more on local value-addition. He said this would enable Africa to industrialise, among other benefits, and be able to earn more from its natural resources.

“Africa deserves all the support in the world so that it will be able to cast off its seemingly natural role as net exporter of primary commodities and net importer of industrial products. Our engagement with our partners should thus lead to more, not less industrialisation. As indicated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, Africa must become the next industrial frontier in the coming 50 years,” Dessalegn noted.