Japan grants 1.3 million to Sierra Leone

Japan has made a grant of 1.3 million dollars US to Sierra Leone for fighting the spread of infections diseases. The grant comes at a time when the country has experienced an increase in the amount of deaths from malaria. Japan is one of the biggest contributors to Sierra Leone giving them over 20 million dollars since 1998.

From Sierra Leone newspaper Cocorioko, writer Issa Davies describes what the money will be used for.

The goal of the project is to contribute to the reduction of child and maternal mortality by one-third by 2010 through low cost, high impact interventions from health personnel, families and communities.

These interventions will focus on malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention and an expanded programme on immunization as well as maternal and child nutrition.
...

The project targets children under the age of five years, pregnant women and young mothers in all the 13 districts in Sierra Leone. About 1.1 million dollars will be used to procure bed nets and other essential drugs in order to reduce the prevalence of malaria and other preventable diseases especially among pregnant women and children under the age of five.

Japan pledges 17 billion in aid

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso announced more aid for Asia. PM Aso pledges 17 billion dollars to help stimulate the economy in thecontinent.

IPS has the details of the speech that the prime minister made at the forum.

Aso said in a televised speech that the package from the world’s second largest economy would be provided as Official Development Assistance (ODA) for meeting challenges posed by the global economic crisis.

The offer represents a 20 percent increase in ODA to be implemented over a three-year period. Japan had slipped to fifth place from being the number one provider of overseas aid after former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi set in motion a plan in 2006 to reduce foreign aid by 2 - 4 percent every year until the budget was balanced by 2011.

Aso’s announcement augments other proposed measures that include an economic stimulus package of two percent of Japan’s GDP, a proposed loan of 100 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund and the establishment of a fund to recapitalise banks in developing countries and reform internal financial institutions.

Aso ended his speech with one of his favourite quotes from the French philospher Alain, "Pessimism comes from our passions, optimism from the will."

Japan has a major role to play in world affairs at this critical moment, said Osamu Sakashita, deputy cabinet secretary for public relations, at a briefing in Tokyo on Friday.

Politicians rather than bankers are taking centre stage this year at Davos (Jan. 28 - Feb. 1), according to Sakashita. The theme of the meet ‘Shaping the Post-Crisis World’ where the world’s economy, poverty, climate change, and financial business are being discussed is revealing enough, according to him.

NGOs Tell of Japan Aid Inadequacy

from All Africa

The Nation (Nairobi)

By Godffrey Olali
Nairobi

Civil society groups have observed critical gaps in some key deliberations made at the recently concluded Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).

The meeting which took place in Yokohama, Japan, between May 28 and 30, has met stiff criticism from key players, who are afraid that Tokyo might not be at a vantage position to present Africa's problems during next month's G8 summit in Japan.

"Japanese and African civil society have noted with disappointment the omission of civil society as participants in the proposal for the follow -up mechanism," observes Ms Sue Mbaya, an Advocacy director with World Vision, African region.

She cited the trade agenda as a key issue which was not properly tackled during the summit which she attended.

"We did not hear any substantial deliberation or progress on the trade agenda save for few African leaders who insisted on the importance of revisiting the global trade platform," she said.

She urged the organisers to make the necessary amendments and confirm civil society's participation in the follow-up mechanism, adding that lack of address to trade was a major oversight.

Ms Mbaya added that re-distribution of resources was another key aspect which was not given prominence at the summit which was attended African heads of state, including Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki.

"We cannot talk about economic growth without addressing the distribution variable while taking into account the fact that there is already insufficient commitment to make sure the poor are benefiting from growth," she said.

Ms Mbaya observed that until Africa tackles this phenomenon, it will experience increased poverty and unequal levels of development in terms of economic growth.

She added that inequality is on the increase in the continent with countries like Botswana, Namibia and South Africa topping the list of the five most unequal economies in the world, with their economies doing well but the poor not benefiting.

Link to full article. May expire in future.

Yokohama - What Did Continent Achieve?

from All Africa

New Vision (Kampala)

By Felix Osike
Kampala

Japan has launched a major economic and diplomatic strategy to tackle development in Africa.

But questions are being asked why the world's second largest economy is evolving partnership with Africa.

Heads of State and government from 52 African countries and other representatives of international organisations met last week in Yokohama to hammer out a blueprint for African development.

Africa's influence in global affairs is rapidly growing. But it is the continent where the bottom billions of the world's poor live. Under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held every five years, Japan stresses the importance of Africa exercising full ownership of its own development agenda, while maintaining partnership with the international community to bolster economic growth.

"The TICAD summit is an opportunity to galvanise support for Africa's effort to reach the Millennium Development Goals," said the UN Deputy Secretary General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro.

There was consensus in the meeting that African economies were making steady growth with increased political stability albeit remaining conflict hotspots.

But despite posting strong economic growth figures, there are still a number of challenges including continued widespread poverty, unemployment, low agricultural productivity, severe effects of climate change, low levels of industrialisation and inadequate generation and access to energy and diseases. While African governments bear responsibility for the economic and social well-being of their peoples, it was noted that the international community has a crucial role to play in overcoming the challenges.

Boosting economic growth, consolidation of peace and good governance and addressing environmental issues were the key issues. Export of raw materials and semi-processed products of low export value and inadequate energy, were identified by President Yoweri Museveni as the factors for Africa's underdevelopment. Museveni called for additional resource flows for the private sector and value-addition, infrastructure, expansion of employment opportunities and commitment to free trade.

Low levels of technical know-how and investments and the current trade imbalance that exists between Japan and Africa are other bottlenecks.

According to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, increased trade and investment between Japan and Africa and active presence of Japanese private sector on the continent was urgently required.

World Bank figures show that Japanese investments in Africa have remained dismal. Japanese Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in sub-Saharan Africa between 2002 and 2004 amounted to only $415m; roughly 0.4% of Japan's total global FDI flow of $108.5b.

Interestingly, of the $ 415m that Japanese firms have invested in Africa, $352m or 85% went to just two countries-South Africa and Egypt. The rest of Africa (51 countries) shared the remaining $63m. Protectionist's measures by developed countries such as subsidies, which prevent the poor from fair trading, were also pointed out. Goods and services exported to Japan from Africa were also less than 2% of Japan's total imports in 2003-2004. African leaders want this imbalance addressed.

As Rwandan President Paul Kagame noted: "Africa is now the place for the highest returns on investments as illustrated by the fact that the continent is the fastest growing market for mobile telephone technologies."

As part of its commitment, Japan announced a $2.5b for Japanese companies willing to invest in Africa in the next five years. A high powered trade delegation is expected in Africa soon.

African countries will also benefit from Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's pledge of up to $4b for infrastructure development, including regional road networks and power grids in the next five years.

But the Botswana Vice President Lt. Gen. Mompati Merafhe argued that increasing ODA to Africa alone was not enough.

"Japan should work with the continent to ensure the assistance provided is relevant to the needs of the recipient countries and also target where it would be used most productively."

African leaders want Japan to have a similar initiative in Africa like the US Africa Growth and Opportunities Act and EU's Everything But Arms.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki noted that Japan had given priority to Africa and kept its commitment of doubling its ODA aid to Africa as pledged in 2005.

Promises by other development partners to scale up aid have not yet materialised.Kibaki clinched a deal to have Kenya Airways and Japan Airlines initiate direct flights to respective cities. Uganda also signed a number of deals with Japan including the construction of a bridge on River Nile at Jinja as well as help in the renovation of roads and the East African railway network. African countries will also benefit from access to low interest loans directly from the Japanese Bank unlike previously when it had to be processed through the African Development Bank.

On climate change, Japan has created a $10b Climate Change Fund to help countries attain acceptable Green House gas emission levels through the, "Cool Earth Partnership."

Although analysts believe Japan's interest in Africa is to counter China and India's influence in the continent, diplomats in Tokyo say that is never the reason because TICAD was initiated way back in 1993.

Japan says trade with Africa presents an enormous opportunity and involves far more than natural resources.

As the G8 chair this year, African leaders believe that Japan can play a leading role in making the development partners fulfil their promises to help African nations achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Japan's capacity to deliver cannot be underestimated. It was in Okinawa in 2000 that the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria was initiated. Japan has the experience of taking millions of people in Asia out of poverty and its intervention was critical in creating the Asian Tigers. Bono of the Irish U2 rock band and activist for Africa believes the continent will be the cockpit of politics in the coming years because of its growing market worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Bono wants Japan's efforts that were used to rebuild Asia in form of education, agriculture and roads applied to Africa.

TICAD wound up with Japan pledging 120 programmes in areas such as building up social infrastructure, health, promoting good governance, bolstering African agricultural production, water and sanitation and enhancing education. Tokyo's credibility will be at stake if it does not live up to the pledges.But the courtship with Africa has also to do with Japan's attempt to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. In his bilateral meetings with African leaders, Fukuda asked Ghanaian President John Kufuor to lead the discussions on realistic UN reforms.

It's the quality of aid, not just the quantity, that is crucial

from Asahi

BY TARO KARASAKI,

Irungu Houghton, pan-African director for Oxfam International, the Britain-based group set up to fight poverty, says the quality of aid, not just the amount, should be a key factor in pledges of assistance to Africa. Oxfam Japan has been granted observer status to attend TICAD IV. Excerpts from a recent interview with The Asahi Shimbun follow:

Q: What would you like to see achieved at the conference?

A: TICAD is very established as a process to discuss development issues.

Many African citizens expect the decisions that come out of it are going to lead to tangible results in poverty reduction in Africa. So there is an expectation that important decisions will be made.

TICAD IV is happening in a context where, according to Oxfam research, there is a public mandate for Japan to make some bold decisions with regard to Africa. According to an Oxfam survey of 1,000 Japanese citizens, more than 84 percent said that Japan should keep its promise to reduce poverty in developing countries.

The conference is also happening in a context where Japan's place among OECD countries has dropped from being the third-largest contributor to fifth-largest, and that has led to a 30-percent decrease in assistance.

So while it is clear that there is a public mandate for bold action on the part of Japan, the experience of the past year shows that Japan is playing a small role.

Q: Tokyo plans to make a number of key pledges during the conference, including a doubling of aid and direct investment by the private sector by 2012. How do you evaluate this?

A: We aren't only concerned about quantity, but also the quality of aid.

Japan will pledge several forms of assistance, including a plan to support climate change work in developing countries, using $10 billion over the next five years. Oxfam's position is that this is a welcome pledge, but pledges by themselves don't change the lives of people.

There needs to be an emphasis on detail. Will this be in the form of loans or grants? If these are loans, then I think this is probably setting up Africa to return to the level of indebtedness that it faced at the beginning of the 2000s.

Q: The conference is expected to adopt a declaration that emphasizes economic growth, human security and environmental issues. How do you view this?

A: The main concern is that there is not enough reference in the draft document to existing commitments (to support) achieving universal access to medical treatment.

In terms of health, currently the level of assistance is at $14 billion. What is needed is $50 billion, so that leaves a variance of $36 billion.

And we haven't seen a very strong commitment to achieving Millennium Development Goals. The starting point for the declaration has to be reversing the fact that Africa is not meeting any of the MDGs in any substantive way.

This leads us not to be very optimistic about the TICAD process unless one sees a rewording of the document. If (the leaders) cannot change the declaration, then the action plan must be much more specific, by setting numerical targets and also delivery deadlines. That would make the process more reassuring and clearly give the conference a historic perspective.

If not, the average African citizen would be disappointed.

Q: The slogan of TICAD IV is "Toward a Vibrant Africa" and one of the key issues is enhancing economic development. What is your opinion of this?

A: I think it is refreshing to see that the Afro-pessimism of 10 years is disappearing. Africa continues to be on a vibrant search for solutions to its own problems.

If you look at the African continent, over the last five years you can see a reversal of the very poor growth rate. On average, Africa now reports a growth rate of more than 5 percent. Many countries have applied for peer review (by other African nations) on good governance and democracy. We have seen a drastic fall in the number of conflicts. So there is progress in Africa in many ways, not that everything is perfect. Africa is making great steps in terms of trying to change the profile of the continent.

But economic growth is not a precondition for either stability or development progress. I live and work in Kenya, which has recorded in excess of 6 percent GDP growth over the last few years, which is a tremendous turnaround. But that did not stop a breakdown in law and order that started late last year. Up to 300 people died and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced. The distribution of that growth is as important as the growth itself.

Bono pleased at Japan's pledge to double aid, but wants more

from Africasia

Rock star and poverty activist Bono said Tuesday that Japan's pledge to double its aid to Africa was "a fantastic news" but poor nations deserve more, a day before an African development meeting in Yokohama.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is expected to formally announce the plan -- which will see assistance doubled by 2012 -- at the conference this week.

A Tokyo official last week said the money was part of Japan's efforts to help the impoverished continent fight poverty and civil war.

"The Japanese government told us about doubling aid. It's a fantastic news. But you have to ask the question, is it really doubling the aid, or just one piece of aid?" Bono told reporters after giving a speech at Tokyo's Keio University.

"The bilateral aid was doubled, but we have to see now as we're going to G8, if the whole of the aid, multilateral aid, will be doubled?" he said, referring to the summit of the Group of Eight richest nations that Japan hosts in July.

The aid to international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation also needs to be doubled, said the U2 frontman, a guest at the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), which begins on Wednesday.

"I think that the Japanese people want it. It's going to happen," he said.

Japan has long used aid as a key diplomatic tool. It was the world's leading donor in 1991, but its overall assistance is slipping as it tightens its belt to deal with massive debts.

During his speech to some 800 university students, Bono said "the poorest of the poor deserve more than" Tokyo's pledge.

Asked about what he expects ahead of TICAD IV, he said: "The best success story in Southeast Asia was started from Japan. So we've come hear to learn from you, how'd you do things better in Africa?"

Japan PM pledges $560 million to fight diseases in Africa

from the AFP via Google

TOKYO, Japan announced Friday it will give 560 million dollars to help fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as it seeks to make aid to Africa a major theme of its chairmanship of the G8 group.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the fresh assistance would be channelled through the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

He said the aid would be given "in the coming years" from 2009, but did not specify how many years it would extend over.

"HIV/AIDS is poised to inflict an even heavier toll than even the plague in the Middle Ages, becoming the most damaging infectious disease in human history," Fukuda said in a speech.

He said about five million people around the world were dying every year from AIDS and the other diseases.

"Amidst these tragedies, it is the African region that has been most seriously affected, with 80 percent of the people dying from AIDS and malaria concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa," Fukuda said.

Japan last pledged aid worth 500 million dollars to the fund in 2005. The money was disbursed over three years to February 2008, according to a foreign ministry official.

The new aid aims to "demonstrate Japan's diplomatic efforts to help Africa" as it prepares to host an international conference on African aid next week and the Group of Eight summit of world leaders in July, the official said.

The money comes on top of Japan's pledge earlier this week to double its financial assistance to Africa by 2012 as part of efforts to help the continent combat poverty and civil conflicts, he said.

World Bank representative Kazushige Taniguchi welcomed Japan's pledge.

"But increasing financial assistance alone cannot solve the problems in Africa," he said.

"Even though the number of aid organisations, which have an enormous financial capacity, has tripled compared with the 1980s and 1990s, the way aid money is used is not always effective," he told reporters.

"For example, there's a private aid foundation which touts its specialisation in aid on AIDS, but in some developing countries, life-or-death resources such as clean water and food are needed much more," he said.

Japan also announced it will release 20,000 tonnes of rice worth about 54 million dollars for developing countries in Africa and elsewhere to help ease food shortages.

Japan plans to double Africa aid, win support

from Reuters Africa

TOKYO, Japan plans to double annual foreign aid to Africa by 2012, the government said on Tuesday, to strengthen ties with the resource-rich continent and win support for its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Japan, which is preparing to host the fourth round of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) on May 28-30, faces rising competition from China and India for Africa's natural resources such as rare metals.

Tokyo aims to raise its annual aid to African nations to 200 billion yen ($1.9 billion) by 2012, double the amount for 2007, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura told a news conference. That includes yen loans and grant aids but not debt relief, an official at the foreign ministry said.

Machimura said the aid was needed to help Africa address problems such as poverty and disease.

"In addition, Japan has been saying that it wants to win a permanent seat in the Security Council and would like to build a closer relationship with Africa in that sense," he said, adding that import-dependent Japan also hoped to work closely with African countries in the area of scarce resources.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will announce details of the aid at the Tokyo conference to be attended by leaders and representatives from 52 African nations, members of international organisations, and activist Irish rock star Bono.

Japan's foreign aid grew from the late 1970s as it strengthened ties with resource-rich developing countries and sought to boost its global profile to match its economic power.

But efforts to curb the country's bulging public debt resulted in Japan slipping to fifth place from third in overall overseas aid spending in 2007 at $7.7 billion, down 30 percent from the previous year, according to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development figures.

Japan Set to Lay Out Its Plans for Rapid Development

from All Africa

The Nation (Nairobi)

By Godffrey Olali
Nairobi

The Japanese Government will soon roll out an ambitious plan aimed at bringing rapid development in Africa.

The plan will be laid bare at a key meeting bringing together more than 2,000 delegates from Africa and Asia later this month.

In Kenya, Japan plans to fund the construction of Mombasa Port container terminal whose work only awaits approval from a consultant.

Tokyo has also promised to send $20 million (Sh1.2 billion) to Kenya for resettling Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and buying farm inputs like fertiliser.

The summit, the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), will be held between May 28 and 30, with its key priorities being boosting economic growth in Africa, human security, tackling environmental issues and climatic change.

According to the Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Shigeo Iwatani, the delegates will discuss underlying challenges facing the continent, such as implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the looming food crisis, poverty eradication, regional integration and infrastructure development.

"This will be the biggest event on Africa in Japan where we will demonstrate to African countries and the world, that Japan together with other actors like non governmental organizations, private companies and individuals are concerned with the happenings in the continent," said Mr, Iwatani, the Ambassador during an interview with the Nation in his Nairobi office.

Japan, he added, is trying to attract stake-holders including the international community to join "our efforts" in bringing hope and opportunity to the African continent.

The objective of the TICAD conference is to come up with a road map on how to approach issues in Africa for the next five years and adopt a declaration, action plan and a follow- p mechanism.

He added: "We also aim to mobilise the knowledge and resources of the international community to support recent political and economic developments in Africa thereby consolidating sustainable growth."

TICAD is a post-cold war policy forum for African development initiated by Japan in 1993 with partners like the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank.

The first TICAD session provided an important opportunity to renew public awareness towards Africa. It's usually held after every five years.

The major areas

According to Mr Iwatani, one of the major areas to be tackled during the three-day summit, to be held in the city of Yokohama, the major areas will be helping African countries to achieve the Eight MDGs such as education for all, eradication of poverty, gender equality, women empowerment, reduction of child mortality and access to medical services.

Others include combating HIV/Aids, Malaria and other diseases, improving maternal health, environmental sustainability and to develop global partnership.

To achieve this, he says, Japan aims at ensuring peace building efforts within the human security concept, improving health, sanitation, education and empowering people.

"We have provided innovative ideas which we will follow to the letter," says the envoy, who added that Tokyo has vowed to tackle poverty in Africa by boosting economic development and infrastructure with an aim to bringing more foreign investors.

The diplomat praised African leaders for coming up with key institutions such us the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which were created after the first TICAD conference in 1993.

He said the institutions under the umbrella of African Union (AU) have stimulated development, growth and good governance in Africa.

Mr Iwatani said that he was impressed by the improved post-cold war relationship between Africa and Japan.

"In the Japanese Parliament, already we have a large body of MPs under the auspices of the Japan - Africa Friendship Parliamentarian Association (JAFP), who regularly visit Africa and interact with leaders."

"After the cold war period, African countries have continued getting aid from Japan and I believe we will continue with the mutual relationship. This is why all African countries are invited to attend the 4th TICAD conference."

During the first TICAD conference, only five African heads of state attended, but the number has since been improving after every five years, a move which shows that Japan and African countries have been keen to solidify their relationship.

The Motto of this year's event will be: "Towards a Vibrant Africa; A continent of Hope and Opportunity."

The summit comes few weeks only after Japan's recent announcement that several African countries will benefit from its grand plan to build 1,000 schools and train about 100,000 African teachers to enhance their abilities in the classroom over the next five years.

The country's foreign minister Masahiko Koumura said Japan's experiences in Central America and in African countries such as Kenya have shown that enhancing teachers' classroom abilities in maths and science plays a decisive role in achieving high standards of education.

Reiterated Mr Iwatani during the interview: "We will try to address the needs of individual countries, but I reckon many African states are in dire need since it's open knowledge that education is the key tool to fight poverty."

In terms of balance of trade between Japan and Africa, he says, the continent leads.

"The trade balance is in favour of Africa because we import oil and mineral resources. In Africa, Nigeria is Japan's biggest oil supplier while Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania provide the Asian giant with the biggest chunk of coffee and tea."

Japan has also vowed to help Africa to combat it's perennial conflicts by boosting African Union peace keeping efforts.

On climate change, Mr Iwatani said he is saddened by the fact that the African continent has been the main victim of this deadly phenomenon.

He says after the controversial Kyoto Protocol, the world must to come up with a new strategy of tackling deadly emission which should be reduced by half by the year 2050.

He says his country has already initiated a concept; Cool Earth Programme; where Japan alone will pump $10 billion and establish an international account so that countries can contribute money to the kitty.

On African regional integration, the envoy sees prospects but he encourages member countries to solve perennial cross-border conflicts and bickering.

He adds that Japan is keen on ensuring sustainability of East African Community initiative.

Japan to double ODA for Africa

from The Daily Yomiuri

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The government will double its official development assistance to African countries over the next five years, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda likely will announce the government's plan at the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) to be held in Yokohama from May 28 to 30.

By increasing its development aid, the government is aiming to support the agricultural and economic development of African countries, especially sub-Saharan nations in which serious conflict abounds and citizens suffer from extreme poverty.

In 2005, Japan promised the African countries it would double its ODA in three years. A senior Foreign Ministry official said the amount is increasing steadily and he is confident the goal will be reached this year.

However, many of the development aid projects take the form of debt relief. African countries are now asking Japan to increase its substantial aid programs.

As the chair of TICAD IV and July's Group of Eight summit, the government deemed it necessary to further extend its financial support for African nations.

African countries are concerned over the recent surge in prices for food around the world.

The government is thus focusing on projects related to agriculture, such as expanding the technological development of food production, as well as infrastructure development to improve agricultural productivity.

With Decline in Development Aid, Japan Fears Losing Diplomatic Clout

from World Politics Review

Jason Miks

TOKYO -- As expected, at the meeting here of G-8 development ministers earlier this month, rich countries reaffirmed their commitment to tackling poverty in Africa and pledged to fulfill past promises of aid to developing countries.

Yet for host nation Japan, the meeting came at an awkward time, coinciding with the release of a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development stating that Japan's net official development assistance (ODA) fell 30 percent in real terms in 2007 from a year earlier.

The latest figure means Japan has now dropped to fifth place among the world's major aid donors, its lowest position since 1972, and a far cry from the 1990s, when Japan consistently topped the United States.

The decline is proving of concern not just to development campaigners, but to the Foreign Ministry itself, which fears it is losing a key diplomatic tool.

"It's not good because Japan has placed a lot of its pride on its ODA," says David Arase, associate professor of politics at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., and author of the book "Japan's Foreign Aid: Old continuities and new directions." "It can't provide troops, it's not on the [U.N.] Security Council, so when ODA goes down, it loses out."

Barred by Article 9 of its constitution from maintaining an offensive military capability, and having been so far unsuccessful in its lobbying efforts for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, Japan has had to lean heavily on its aid for diplomatic clout.

But despite being confronted with the prospect of an increasingly powerful neighbor, the Japanese government announced in December it was cutting ODA by 4 percent in fiscal 2008.

Indeed, concerns over China's rise -- including its rapidly growing economy, coupled with economic stagnation in Japan -- have in recent years led to growing dissatisfaction among the Japanese public with the country's yen loans to China, which reached a peak of 214 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in 2000.

"Since 1992, China's economy has been growing by 10 percent a year," says Aichi University's Prof. Ichiro Kawabe, author of a book on Japan's diplomacy. "Chinese growth and a Japanese recession was unacceptable to right wingers, and they started criticizing Japanese aid to China."

Kawabe says right-wing opposition to assistance to China has drawn increasing sympathy from the Japanese public, many of whom feel the country has gained little from the 3.316 trillion yen ($33.2 billion) lent to China since 1979, or from its ODA efforts more generally.

"According to various polls, the cuts in ODA have been supported by public opinion," Kawabe says. "Japanese people tend to think that Japan has been discriminated against. It's the second largest economy, but it doesn't have much power relative to its economic power."

Jonathan Strand, associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, agrees there has been growing domestic disillusionment in Japan. "A cynic would say Japan's efforts are not working because they've been pursuing a [Security Council] seat for 20 years. This has created domestic criticism," he says.

Strand says Japanese development assistance has given it a certain amount of diplomatic leverage on some issues. "The example [the Ministry of Foreign Affairs] doesn't like to use is whaling, and the use of ODA to get support from countries without real ties to whaling," he says.

But he also notes that in recent years there has been an increasingly humanitarian aspect to Japanese aid. "The qualitative and quantitative studies have shown that in the past decade [Japanese ODA] has shifted to the humanitarian, as opposed to mercantilist self-interest," Strand says. "Japan gives more to poorer countries, and there is evidence that Japan's aid goes to countries with better human rights records."

Arase agrees there has been a shift. "Maybe 20 years ago, Japan used to think of ODA as a way of securing its economy," he says. "But I think now Japan is interested in creating goodwill." He also believes that humanitarian aid could be hit not only by ODA cuts, but by structural reforms in Japanese lending, as the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is mandated to improve international cooperation, completes a merger this year with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which is traditionally more focused on promoting Japanese exports.

"I think that could set back humanitarian progress, as it is [the Ministry of Foreign Affairs] that sees the value of a humanitarian element," he says.

Jason Miks is a Tokyo-based writer and a managing editor with the Center for International Relations.

Volunteers lead Japan's bid to maintain global reach

from AFP via Google

TOKYO (AFP) — When Kiyoshi Baba stopped a top police officer for running a red light in Nepal, he was not only pushing a safety message far from his native Japan, he was also projecting Japanese influence abroad.

In leaving for Nepal, Baba was contributing to one of Japan's most visible efforts to retain its global influence despite a soaring public debt that has choked the country's funds for "pocketbook diplomacy."

Tokyo has slashed aid to developing countries by 40 percent since 1997, and will reduce it by four percent a year until 2011, according to a plan created by former premier Junichiro Koizumi.

Japan was the world's top aid donor until 2000. By 2006, it had slipped to third behind the United States and Britain, and in four more years could fall to sixth, says the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Still, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda wants Japan to retain its clout.

"It is indispensable to enhance our country's diplomatic power," he said at the opening of parliament earlier this month, citing global warming, poverty, and security issues including the fight against terrorism.

Amid a public debt fallout, analysts say the government must develop other approaches to maintain its global reach.

"Japan could increase its foreign investments, technology transfers and its participation in maintaining peace in the world to compensate for its drop in public development aid," said Katsuhiko Mori, international relations professor at International Christian University.

Fukuda has already taken some steps. He is pressing for Japan to take the lead on climate change and intends to put the issue at the top of discussions at the Group of Eight summit he will host in July.

At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland last week, Fukuda called for a new global target of a 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 and vowed a 10-billion-dollar fund to help developing countries reduce emissions and cope with the impact of climate change.

He said Japan will also invest 50 billion dollars over the next five years in researching and developing new technologies to fight global warming and to shift Japan to a "low carbon society."

Back home, he is pushing for a law that would authorise sending soldiers on overseas peace missions without having to get parliament's approval each time.

Naoki Ito, political aid director at the foreign ministry, said engagement in peace missions did not run counter to Japan's pacifist tradition, but was a part of the country's diplomacy "expanding its paths of action."

The main conduit for Japanese development aid is the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which funds a corps of volunteers.

With over 40 years of experience in Africa, South Asia and South America, JICA could withstand the drop in the public budget and still send out the same number of volunteers, said Sumiko Nakamura from the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, a JICA programme which today employs around 3,000 workers in 84 countries.

"The goal is to aid developing countries grow by themselves while allowing the volunteers to get an experience that will be useful in Japan upon their return," Nakamura said.

"The idea from the beginning was to compensate Asian countries after World War II," said Ruri Ito, a trans-national sociology professor at Hitotsubashi University.

"In retrospect, that became a tool for Japanese diplomacy void of means of action" after Japan was occupied following the war.

Baba, a former policeman in his 60s, came across a JICA ad in 2003 seeking an expert to help improve road safety in Nepal.

He soon found himself immersed in a road system that lacked regulations and traffic lights -- which JICA eventually financed.

"It was new. We had to teach the population how to follow them," Baba told AFP of the stoplight initiative.

Baba made headlines after stopping a top police official who had run a red light, an incident caught on video and broadcast on television.

"The incident took a political turn," he recalled. "Me, I just wanted people to respect the red light!"

Baba was later awarded a medal by Nepal's King Gyanendra and has now begun another two-year mission to the country, with the goal of making a DVD about road safety.

Japan gives Tanzania 2.3 bln yen to fight Aids, poverty

from Reuters

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Japan has given Tanzania 2.3 billion yen in loans and grants to help the country fight poverty and HIV, Tanzania's Finance Ministry said on Tuesday.

Of the total, a 2 billion yen loan will support the east African nation's budget, the ministry said. The rest will pay for medicines and test kits to counter the threat of HIV/AIDS.

About 2 million Tanzanians, out of a population of some 40 million, are infected with HIV, Tanzania's government says.

The country is among the continent's top recipients of donor aid, with 42 percent of its 2007-08 budget funded by donors.

Experts lament cuts in Japan's foreign aid

from The Japan Times

By YASUSHI AZUMA
Kyodo News

Development experts lament recent cuts in Japanese foreign aid and are calling for a reversal of the trend, saying such spending benefits Japan's interests in addition to helping millions in poverty.

Kiyoshi Kodera, executive secretary of the Development Committee, a joint ministerial panel of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, said Japan has already cut too much of its foreign aid budget.

"Of course, fiscal consolidation is very important for Japan," said Kodera, a former Finance Ministry bureaucrat. "But Japan should make a contribution to match its position as the world's second-largest economy."

The government again plans to cut spending for official development assistance in the fiscal 2008 budget. The planned reduction is based on the government's 2006 economic policy guidelines, which recommend cuts of 2 percent to 4 percent in ODA outlays over the five years beginning in fiscal 2007.

The government earmarked ¥729.3 billion for ODA in the initial budget for this fiscal year on a general account basis, down 4 percent from the previous year and the eighth straight annual decline.

"Japan may fall behind France and Germany soon if it continues to cut its foreign aid budget," Kodera said.

According to Foreign Ministry data, the U.S. ranked first among aid donors at $22.74 billion in 2006, accounting for 21.9 percent of the world's total.

Britain came in second at $12.61 billion, a 12.1 percent share, moving ahead of Japan, whose ODA totaled $11.61 billion, accounting for 11.2 percent.

The U.S. boosted its foreign aid after the 2001 terrorist attacks and European countries followed suit, believing that alleviating poverty would help eliminate terrorism.

Kodera said European countries emphasize foreign aid "as a political priority," and he hopes this trend will prevail in Japan.

Some analysts see declines in the ODA budget as inevitable due to its dwindling role in Asia, which has seen income growth in many countries.

"Japan used to pass its successful experience onto the rest of the Asian countries through ODA, but its role in Asia has been diminishing," said Kenichi Takayasu, senior economist at the Japan Research Institute.

He said Japan appears to be complacent with its position as "a big brother in East Asia," though it was eager to boost its presence as "a global actor" in the 1980s by increasing foreign aid.

Takayasu said that although he is not really concerned about Japan's international ranking as a donor, Tokyo must not cut the ODA budget beyond the minimum level necessary to maintain its contribution to the international community.

"Reducing the ODA budget by ¥20 billion, for example, may be insignificant in Japan. But such a sum means a lot in developing countries."

There appears to be some hope for change. Kodera said he heard some lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party have begun to question the wisdom of slashing the aid budget by nearly 40 percent over the last 10 years.

Continental drift

from Asahi

BY HIROTSUGU MOCHIZUKI AND KEIICHI KANEKO

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

As Japan looks ahead to hosting a Group of Eight (G-8) summit that will focus on Africa, along with a major international conference on African development, it is being forced to rethink its own aid program for the continent.

At a time when the United States and European countries are expanding poverty alleviation efforts in Africa and when China, with an eye on Africa's natural resources, is also pouring in more money, Japan is the odd one out.

Overall foreign aid budgets have been slashed in recent years and Tokyo is finding it increasingly difficult to come up with the cash to increase aid to Africa.

Japan has hosted the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) every five years since 1993, and it will hold the fourth conference in Yokohama next year.

Speaking at a symposium commemorating Africa Day earlier this year, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said Japan is committed to helping Africa break free of poverty.

"The idea of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is that Japan will help to make Africa vigorous," said Mori, who serves as chairman of the Japan-African Union parliamentary league for friendship.

However, a diplomat from an African country who spoke on condition of anonymity said a new framework needs to be set up to replace TICAD. What is needed now, the diplomat said, is a mechanism to put the conference's ideas into action.

Another diplomat agreed, saying TICAD should be more than a talk fest.

The African Diplomatic Corps (ADC), which consists of ambassadors of African countries in Tokyo, expressed its doubts about the efficacy of TICAD in a letter to the Foreign Ministry.

What irritates the African envoys is that Japanese assistance to Africa is not increasing.

An official of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, who is in charge of diplomacy to Africa, lamented the situation.

"When money is not offered, the ties end. Japan's diplomacy to Africa is now stalemated," the official said.

Amid Japan's overall reduction in aid to developing countries, official development assistance (ODA) to Africa decreased for four consecutive years from 2000. In April 2005, however, then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced that Japan will double its ODA to Africa in three years.

Under that policy, Japan's ODA to Africa increased drastically from about $650 million in 2004 to $1.14 billion in 2005. However, most of the increase was used to write off debts or to offer yen loans.

The amount of grants was almost unchanged.

According to the World Bank, the number of extremely poor people around the world decreased by nearly two-thirds in the 30-year period from 1970. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, the number of extremely poor increased by 40 percent during the same period. Now, 300 million people are living on less than $1 (about 115 yen) a day in that region.

African poverty has been a major item on the agenda of G-8 summit meetings for the past several years. The United States and European countries have increased their aid, but Japan, constrained by budgeting concerns, has not.

China's efforts to expand its role in Africa have forced Japan to rethink its own approach.

In recent years, China has drastically increased ODA to African countries to secure natural resources, such as oil and rare metals. Its assistance to Africa, which is estimated to be nearly 50 billion yen, now accounts for as much as 44 percent of its entire foreign aid budget.

According to the China News Service, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced in May this year that China's total investments in Africa reached $11.7 billion at the end of last year.

The ministry also said that China will further increase its assistance to African countries, write off their debts and open its market to their products.

China's political leaders, including the president, the premier and the foreign minister, have visited Africa one after another. China also hosted the general meeting of the African Development Bank in Shanghai in May this year.

In Tokyo, the Foreign Ministry fears that Japan might get sidelined diplomatically if China continues to expand its influence in Africa. In particular, it could spell the end of Japan's ambition to get a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

The Japanese government's council on overseas economic cooperation has proposed offering yen loans to African countries to improve infrastructure, thereby stimulating economic growth.

The council hopes Africa can follow in the footsteps of some Asian countries, which were able to achieve economic growth with the help of ODA and private-sector investments.

If Africa's infrastructure improves, private companies in Japan and elsewhere in Asia will be more willing to invest there.

However, some experts remain doubtful about this approach.

Motoki Takahashi, professor of African issues at Kobe University, supports the promotion of investment in and trade with Africa. But before resuming yen loans to Africa, he said the government needs to re-examine how past lending left Africa swamped by debt.

"Poverty in Africa cannot be solved by economic growth alone," he said.

TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF), a nongovernmental organization working on Africa policy, also said that placing too much importance on economic growth will make the gap between the rich and the poor bigger.

Tsuneo Kurokawa, an official of state aid organization, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), conceded, "So far, aid has not reached the general public."

JICA is now looking into new ways of distributing aid that put the "focus both on government and the grass roots," Kurokawa said.(IHT/Asahi: August 21,2007)

WFP lauds support from Japan to three of Africa's least developed countries

from The World Food Programme

WFP has welcomed an announcement by the Government of Japan that it intends to donate US$5.7 million (JPY 670 million) to assist more than 1.5 million chronically hungry people in three of Africa’s least developed countries: Somalia, Guinea, and Sao Tome and Principe.

The contribution will buy rice, maize and fortified blended food to support refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), malnourished children, women and other vulnerable people affected by conflict, natural disasters, chronic hunger and socio-economic instability.

“WFP is very grateful for Japan’s continuing support. This is a proof of Japan’s growing leadership in achieving ‘human security’ in Africa,” said Mihoko Tamamura, Director of WFP’s Office in Japan.

World's poorest

“Somalia, Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe are among the world’s poorest and least developed countries. This contribution will be extremely valuable in helping these countries emerge from chronic hunger.”

Of the package, a total of US$3.1 million (JPY 360 million) will be allocated to Somalia to feed some 1.3 million beneficiaries affected by armed conflict and recurrent natural disasters, including the worst drought and floods in years that hit the already ravaged country last year.

Somalia has had no effective central government since 1991. Malnutrition rates among children under five are consistently high.

Saving lives

In some areas, at least one child in five is malnourished. Although there is insufficient data for the country to be listed in the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the average life expectancy is just 46 years.

The contribution will be used to save lives and improve the nutritional status of malnourished children, TB patients, pregnant and nursing mothers and to help restore livelihoods of pastoral and small farmer households, plus other vulnerable people.

In West Africa, Guinea has been disrupted by the continued influx of refugees from neighboring countries devastated by internal conflicts, such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire.

Weak governance

Since 2000, the living conditions of the Guinean people have further worsened due to weak governance capacity and limited economic progress, resulting in an HDI ranking of 160 out of 177 countries in 2006.

A total of US$1.5 million (JPY180 million) will be granted to Guinea to support 166,000 beneficiaries including refugees, ex-combatants, host populations and other vulnerable people.　

The contribution comes in the aftermath of a general strike, in which dozens of protestors are reported to have died in clashes with the security forces.

Operations temporarily suspended

WFP was forced to temporarily suspend most of its operations due to security measures but Japan’s contribution will be invaluable to help the poorest of the poor once the country emerges from the crisis.

Lastly, US$1.1 million (JPY130 million) will be allocated to Sao Tome and Principe.

Since independence in 1975, the country has suffered widespread economic distress, largely as a result of the collapse of the cacao exports which underpinned most of the economy.

Least developed

Sao Tome and Principe is classified as a least developed country, with its HDI ranking of 127 out of 177 countries in 2006.

WFP assists the government in diversifying and increasing agricultural production and supporting the poor rural population who have limited access to nutrition and basic education.

The funds will be used to feed 40,000 beneficiaries including smallholder farmers, illiterate adults, school children, people affected by HIV/AIDS, and other vulnerable groups.

Poverty tops agenda

Japan is enhancing its international presence in aid for Africa ahead of the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) and G-8 Summit to be held in the country next year, where African development and reduction of poverty will top the agenda.

As a preliminary step, the TICAD Ministerial Conference on Energy and Environment for Sustainable Development will be hosted by Japan this week in Nairobi, Kenya.

The conference will be attended by approximately 100 delegations of governments, UN agencies, regional organisations and NGOs from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, including WFP.

102bn/- to help fight poverty, support projects

from IPP Media

By Guardian Reporter

Japan yesterday committed itself to give Tanzania 102.4bn/- for use in general budget support and financing the national strategy for economic growth and reduction of poverty, commonly known as Mkukuta.

Japan�s Ambassador to Tanzania, Makoto Ito, and Finance ministry permanent secretary Gray Mgonja signed an agreement to that effect on behalf of their respective countries.

A third signatory was Koji Tanami, deputy governor and managing director of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

A press statement issued by the embassy at the signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam said part of the aid would be a 74.2bn/- loan that would be directed to the Arusha-Namanga and Namanga-Athi River road development projects.

According to the statement, the Japanese government and the African Development Bank would co-finance the construction of the international trunk road linking Arusha in Tanzania and Athi River in Kenya through the common border post of Namanga.

The Japanese loan would be spent on the construction of the between Arusha-Namanga stretch, he said, adding that a further loan worth 21.7bn/- would go into supporting the World Bank�s Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC).

There would also be non-project grant aid to the tune of 6.5bn/- that would be an input into the Treasury for fiscal year 2007/2008.

`Of the total amount of the grant 545 million yen will be provided for the poverty Reduction Budget Support in order to support the National Strategy for growth and Reduction of Poverty and 55million yen shall be disbursed into the pooled Fund for the Poverty Monitoring System,` added the statement.

It said the loans for the cross-border road project and for PRSC would be financed by JBIC.

`This loan assistance will be extended under the newly established Minimal Interest Rate Initiative (MIRAI) which offers preferential terms of loans to low income LDCs with the annual interest rate of 0.01 per cent,` the statement said.

Meanwhile, Mgonja commended the Japanese bank�s decision to re-introduce for Tanzania the Yen Loan Facility which has lain suspended for 25 years.

`The re-introduction of the facility is a reflection of the improvement in macroeconomic management in the country and strengthening its debt sustainability,` he said, noting that Tanzania would monitor the way the money will be spent to ensure that design and construction works meet acceptable standards.

[Press Release] WFP welcoms US$20.8 million from Japan

from Reuters Alert Net

The Government of Japan announced today a major contribution of US$20.8 million (JPY2.52 billion) to WFP which will assist millions of vulnerable and chronically food insecure people in 13 countries spread throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The funds will be used to buy food including cereals, pulses, fortified blended food and canned tuna.

This significant contribution from Japan gives special attention to Africa, with two-thirds of the package (US$13.9 million; JPY1.68 billion) allocated to WFP’s social protection programmes in nine African countries.

Generous support

“We sincerely appreciate this most generous support from Japan,” said Eri Kudo, Officer-in-Charge of WFP Office in Japan. “Many households in these countries are persistently unable to meet their daily requirements due to chronic poverty driven by conflict, natural disasters and HIV/AIDS. Japan’s partnership with WFP is vital to achieving social protection and sustainable development in Africa.”

In Lesotho, for example, WFP is currently working with the national government to develop food security and disaster mitigation capacities which will address recurrent natural disasters and HIV/AIDS.

Protecting livelihoods

Japan’s contribution will be used to provide food aid to the most vulnerable populations, including 137,000 school children, pregnant and nursing mothers and patients with HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis. Food will help protect their livelihoods and enhance their resilience to crises.

At the fourth Annual Consultation held in Tokyo last month, WFP and the Government of Japan reconfirmed the importance of aid to Africa, ahead of the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) and G-8 Summit to be hosted by Japan next year.

“The contribution announced today reaffirms Japan’s commitment to Africa. Together Japan and WFP will assist African countries to strengthen their capacity to combat hunger,” Kudo said.

Chronic poverty

Beyond Africa, Japan is allocating US$6 million (JPY720 million) to Asia in support of vulnerable people affected by natural disasters and chronic poverty.

Through WFP, Japan will assist Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste with donations of US$3.3 million (JPY400 million), US$1.7 million (JPY210 million) and US$0.9 million (JPY110 million) respectively.

Cambodia has the one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS and TB prevalence in Asia, and 35 percent of its population lives below the poverty line.

WFP’s food aid is essential to optimising the benefits of treatment and care for HIV/AIDS and TB patients by improving their nutrition and food security.

Crucial timing

Japan’s aid comes at a crucial moment, as a funding shortage forced WFP to progressively reduce rations to beneficiaries since October 2006.

The temporary suspension of food aid to students, HIV/AIDS- and TB-affected beneficiaries has led to a reduction of WFP assistance to over 70 percent of its usual beneficiaries since February.

In Latin America, US$1 million (JPY120 million) will go to WFP operations in Nicaragua, where recurrent natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and droughts have resulted in food shortages.

Empowering women

WFP Deputy Executive Director, Sheila Sisulu, will visit Japan from 4 to 8 March to attend the International Women’s Day 2007 Public Forum.

She will deliver a statement on WFP’s role in promoting the empowerment of women and girls, and will take the opportunity to personally thank the Government of Japan for their generous contributions.