On October 28, JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka met online with Mr. Ibrahim Assan Mayaki, Director General of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). During the exchange of views on the response to the Corona crisis, President Kitaoka emphasized the importance of Africa standing on its own feet, praised AUDA-NEPAD’s promotion of pandemic response through Africa-originated products and services (Home Grown Solutions), and stressed JICA’s support for the initiative. JICA will cooperate in promoting the initiative. He also noted that JICA and AUDA-NEPAD are pleased to sign the revised Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) as a sign of the growing partnership between the two organizations. Secretary Mayaki (left) and President Kitaoka (right)
In response, Director Mayaki thanked JICA for its cooperation in responding to the Corona crisis. He also stated that Africa has much to learn from Japan’s experience in modernization and Japanese development cooperation in Asia, and that he would like to promote cooperation between the two institutions based on the concept of the “JICA Chair” (a project to support the establishment of a JICA Chair in Japanese Studies).
The two organizations subsequently signed a revised MOC to expand and strengthen collaboration between the two institutions in preparation for TICAD 8 (8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development) scheduled to be held in Tunisia next year. Under the revised MOC, the two organizations will work together in the areas of regional integration, kaizen, and nutrition, as well as local private sector support and research, particularly in the healthcare sector.
In the annual collaborative discussion that followed, the two organizations reviewed their efforts over the past year and discussed specific collaborative activities in preparation for TICAD 8.
JICA will continue to work with AUDA-NEPAD to contribute to Africa’s development with respect for African ownership.
© Source JICA