EU-JAPAN SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS DEVELOPMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000463 SIPDIS SIPDIS USAID FOR ODP AND E&E; BUDAPEST FOR USAID/RSC; PARIS FOR USOECD CARNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EUN SUBJECT: EU-JAPAN SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Mission of Japan to the European Union recently joined with the European Commission, European Policy Center and the Berlin-based Japan-Germany Center to host a day-long symposium focused on development in Africa. Senior officials from both Europe and Japan affirmed important links between development and other issues, including security, climate change, trade and economic growth. Several speakers described Africa as a place of opportunity while also noting that other players-including China, India and the United States-are becoming increasingly involved. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) A recent EU-Japan symposium in Brussels on Development in Africa provided an opportunity for both Europe and Japan to highlight their common development interest on a continent where China is playing an increasing role. The event also aimed at building consensus between Europe and Japan prior to several upcoming events that will focus on Africa. These include the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) in Yokohama in May; the G-8 summit in Hokkaido in July; and the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra in September. ¶3. (U) European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Assistance Louis Michel opened the event, which was attended by senior officials as well as academics from Africa, Europe and Japan. Michel's remarks described Europe and Japan as "natural" partners. He added that while Africa presents "many opportunities" it is also being "actively courted" by China and the United States. ¶4. (U) Michel's comments emphasized the importance of maintaining "consistency" between the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December 2007 and the TICAD IV meetings planned for Yokohama in late May 2008. Priority EU areas in Africa include peace and stability; governance; trade and regional integration; energy; climate change; migration; and achieving the millennium development goals. ¶5. (U) Michel's remarks included several references to broader development concerns. For example, he stated that the individual EU countries are "on track" to reach the goal of providing 0.7 percent of GDP in the form of official development assistance. He added that the EU is meeting "ninety percent" of the aid commitments made at the Gleneagles G-8 meetings and that the international community should be "hard" on countries that don't meet their commitments. Looking ahead to Accra, he made several references to aid effectiveness, noting that the multiplicity of donors as well as the large number of bilateral aid projects only increases the burden on host governments. ¶6. (U) Throughout his speech, Michel emphasized economic growth as well as trade as key drivers in any truly sustainable development process. He also highlighted peace and security as essential pillars for any development program. Finally, he noted the importance of climate change, adding that additional funds should be designated for this purpose, rather than reallocating funds among existing programs. ¶7. (U) The two Japanese ambassadors with speaking roles-Ambassador Kawamuru (head of the Japanese Mission to the European Union) and Ambassador Odana (who will have the lead role for the TICAD IV meetings in Yokohama in May)-reflected similar themes. Both noted that while Japan does not have deeply rooted historical ties with Africa, it had convened the first TICAD conference in 1993 at a time when many countries were expressing "donor fatigue". Even at this initial meeting, Japan championed "ownership" "self help" and "partnership" as central themes. Now, fifteen years later, other countries such as China and India are showing greater interest in Africa. In addition, economic growth rates are improving in a number of African countries. These growth rates need to be deepened, sustained and extended to other parts of the continent. ¶8. (U) The agenda featured a panel discussion on the role of climate change in Africa's development. Panelists included Ahmadu Babagana, Director of Rural Economy and Agriculture Department for the African Union; Masato Kawanishi, Senior Adviser at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); and Luis Riera Figueras, Director at the European BRUSSELS 00000463 002 OF 002 Commission's Director General for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States. Addressing the panel, Mr. Babagana expanded on climate change's impact on drought, malaria, and agricultural productivity. He called on greater developed country support for capacity building efforts and increase resources to battle the bi-products of climate change. The AU would like to increase attention on the UN's Framework on Climate Change and the AU's Green World for the Sahara program to slow Saharan desertification across Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Babagana finds the biofuel boom troubling, alleging that biofuel crop production will aggravate food commodity problems. The AU strategy is to augment biofuel production in arid areas not currently utilized for food production. Mr. Kawanishi questioned the difference between traditional development programming and climate change specific programs. JICA is moving toward an impact based model, instead of programmatic categories. JICA will merge with the JBIC Bank to create one entity that provides technical assistance, grants, and soft loans. Last, Mr. Riera Figueras noted climate change is a political priority in the EU. However, funding for climate change activities is limited and the EC is working to drum up greater support from EU member states. One EC initiative, the Global Climate Change Alliance, draws on broad EU member state and Council support. Riera Figueras cited possible funding from a member state recruiting effort, issuance of bonds, revenue from future emission credit/buy schemes, and possible ODA support. ¶9. (U) COMMENT: The EU-Japan Symposium had been planned long in advance to help promote a common EU-Japan position in the lead-up to discussions on development in Africa planned for later this year, including in Yokohama and Hokkaido. While the formality of the meeting did not easily lend itself to candid discussions on all the challenges Africa faces, it did provide an opportunity to put forward basic themes shared by development communities in both Japan and the EU. The several references to the interests of other countries involved in Africa-including India and especially China-further highlighted the strategic importance of the continent and common concern that these emerging donors make a "positive" contribution to Africa's development. At the same time, this interest underscores the need for effective coordination and cooperation among all actors, a theme that will undoubtedly be emphasized at the Accra meetings on aid effectiveness scheduled for September. MURRAY