TICAD IV: TOWARDS A VIBRANT AFRICA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 001598 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USAID FOR AFRICA/AA ALMQUIST AND PIERCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PREL JA XA SUBJECT: TICAD IV: TOWARDS A VIBRANT AFRICA TOKYO 00001598 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Japan announced a myriad of commitments to Africa, including that it would double aid to the region by 2012, during the May 28-30 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Co-sponsored by the GOJ, the World Bank, and the UNDP, the conference brought together representatives from 51 of 53 African countries who stressed the importance of infrastructure in economic development, the continent's vulnerability to climate change, and the need to resolve the current food crisis in both the immediate and long term. In light of Japan's tight fiscal situation, however, the GOJ will likely need to make hard decisions on the allocation of its aid budget to fulfill the promises made at TICAD. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Representatives from 51 of 53 African countries, including 40 heads of state or government, joined representatives from donor countries, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector in Tokyo May 28-30 for the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV). With "Towards a Vibrant Africa" as its theme, the conference focused on three key pillars -- boosting economic growth, ensuring human security, and addressing environmental issues/climate change. Japan's Commitments to Africa -------------- ¶3. (U) The co-organizers (Japan, World Bank and UNDP) stressed that Japan's commitment to Africa was obvious since TICAD I in 1993, when Japan called together the African countries to share views on how Japan and others could help Africa at the conclusion of the Cold War. This first effort by Japan has been highly lauded in Africa for including all African leaders to discuss such issues of development, conflict mitigation, and ownership. Because of Japan's early commitment and because Japan is leading the G-8 this year, participation in TICAD was very high, composed of African heads of states, heads of African organizations and NGOs, the World Bank, UN organizations, think tanks, academics, the private sector, and bilateral donors. ¶4. (U) Prime Minister Fukuda announced several new Japanese commitments to Africa including a doubling of grant aid and technical assistance by 2012 and an offer of up to $4 billion in yen loans for roads and other infrastructure projects. Japan also plans to inaugurate the Facility for African Investment through the trade development arm of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to fund directly or to provide financial guarantees for Japanese private investment on the continent. Fukuda also stated Japan would provide assistance to double African rice production within ten years, train 100,000 Africans as healthcare workers over the next five years, contribute $560 million in 2009 to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and target a "significant portion" of Japan's previously announced $100 million in emergency food assistance towards Africa. ¶5. (U) In addition, Fukuda stated that Japan, as a "peace fostering nation," will focus on the consolidation of peace and peacebuilding in Africa and will pursue reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) so the UN is more effective in its peacebuilding efforts. Fukuda also explained Japan's "Cool Earth Partnership" saying this initiative will provide assistance to developing countries, including those in Africa, to help cut greenhouse emissions while promoting economic growth. African Leaders Non-Committal on Bid for UNSC Seat -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Prime Minister Fukuda met separately with forty African leaders on the margin of the conference to solicit support for Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the United TOKYO 00001598 002.2 OF 004 Nations Security Council, according to press reports. (Note: The 53 African countries represented at TICAD account for approximately one-fourth of total UN members.) Those leaders' responses, however, were reportedly non-committal. The African View -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Each African head-of-delegation received an opportunity to speak during the plenary sessions. Among donor countries in attendance, only the EU, France and the U.S. were offered speaking opportunities. (Note: Japan withdrew the offer to the U.S. when USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore could not attend the conference. End note.) Most of the African speakers focused either on the need for more infrastructure to boost economic development, the continent's extreme vulnerability to the effects of climate change, or the need to address the current food crisis in both the immediate and long-term. Many welcomed Japan's cool earth partnership, claiming Africa has not received its fair share of the funds available under the Clean Development Mechanism established by the Kyoto Protocol. Certain speakers called for more foreign direct investment to establish a viable private sector, noting Africa cannot successfully develop if it remains simply an exporter of minerals with no value-added. There was nearly universal consensus among African participants on the need for Japan to make African development issues a central theme during the upcoming G-8 summit in Hokkaido June 7-9. Rebuilding Post-Conflict States -------------- ¶8. (U) Several representatives from post-conflict states, including Liberia, Sierra Leone and Burundi, discussed efforts to rebuild their nations. They stressed the importance of good governance, a professional police force, human capacity building, and the need to share the benefits of development with all citizens and not just the elite. Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also noted the need to help the "lost generation" of child-soldiers who had received no education during the conflict years make the transition back into society. She said the Liberian government has had success in doing so by providing them with jobs on infrastructure projects. Zimbabwe Attacks Donor "Interference" -------------- ¶9. (U) Zimbabwe Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi welcomed TICAD's "different approach from other development efforts that dictate, interfere and impose moral values without respect for the recipient countries and their peoples." He said Zimbabwe's efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger through redistributing resources had met with "unjustified vilification" from those who "only wish to protect minority and foreign interests." He also claimed the Global Fund "is a political weapon to sanction countries for unjustified, political reasons." Subsequent speakers, including the EU's, did not address or comment upon Mumbengegwi's remarks. Sudan's President Denounces Chad -------------- ¶10. (U) Sudan President Omar El Bashir thanked the international community for helping implement the 2006 Darfur agreement, but said the country's efforts to consolidate peace were being hampered by external factors. He claimed Chad is funding the Darfur rebels' continued aggression, in particular the May 10, 2008 attack on Khartoum, and declared the international community should "no longer tolerate" this situation. Addressing the Food Crisis -------------- TOKYO 00001598 003.2 OF 004 ¶11. (SBU) More than thirty heads of state or government attended a luncheon discussion on the food crisis sponsored by the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program and the International Fund for Agriculture Development and co-chaired by PM Fukuda and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikewete (the current African Union president). The heads of the four international organizations described their response to the food crisis, noting the need to address the underlying causes, not just the emergency aspects of food security. Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs suggested one solution would be for countries to develop national plans for delivering seed and fertilizer to communities and to submit those plans to the UN and World Bank for financing. Four "Breakout" Sessions -------------- ¶12. (SBU) The session on boosting economic growth centered on the need to improve infrastructure throughout Africa to boost economic growth. In addition, representatives from middle-income African countries cited difficulties in obtaining concessional financing as a restriction on their economic potential. While several participants held out the U.S. African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) as a model other development partners may want to replicate, no participants mentioned Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) established under the Organization for African Unity's New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). ¶13. (SBU) Participants in the session on environmental issues and climate change welcomed Japan's Cool Earth Partnership initiative and stressed African countries need to look at the lessons learned from the industrialized world to avoid becoming high carbon emitters as they develop. Many speakers called for establishing mid-term emissions reduction targets for industrialized countries. Participants agreed Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change and warned natural disasters brought on by global warming, in particular drought and desertification, could further imperil the continent's ability to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). ¶14. (SBU) UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres chaired the session on ensuring human security through consolidation of peace and democratization. Participants noted Africa's progress in advancing peace in recent years, but cited issues that continue to derail peace efforts. These include land and property rights, migration of internally displaced persons and refugees, the lack of rule of law, the lack of jobs and education, famine, issues related to public health and water, and climate change. The participants stressed that "good governance" is essential to consolidate peace and noted the usefulness and the potential of the African Peer Review Mechanism, an African-owned initiative. Participants observed African governance and ownership could only be complemented by international donors and NGOs. ¶15. (SBU) During a subsequent session on human security and meeting the Millennium Development Goals, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura a highlighted Japan's commitments toward achieving the MDGs and, with the participants, touched upon the importance of community empowerment and various donors' initiatives in education and health. UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman reported the sessions' findings that decentralized governance and community empowerment with a focus on women are critical to health and education delivery, that basic and vocational education should be strengthened, and that well balanced and comprehensive approaches are necessary to bolster health systems and to eradicate disease. African countries' TOKYO 00001598 004.2 OF 004 ownership is needed to develop, implement, evaluate, and monitor the MDGs. The Yokohama Declaration and the Follow-Up Mechanism -------------- -------------- ¶16. (SBU) The GOJ released TICAD's "Yokohama Declaration" May 30 to much fanfare, though some African leaders and press reports were immediately critical, citing the document's lack of detail and time-bound commitments. Japan did, however, agree to establishment of a follow-up mechanism to monitor progress on the commitments. The mechanism establishes a secretariat within the Foreign Ministry to track implementation along with a steering committee consisting of the GOJ and Tokyo-based members of the African Diplomatic Corps, international organizations, donor countries, and NGOs which will produce a yearly progress report. The Declaration also calls for a yearly meeting of TICAD participants to discuss results. Comment -------------- ¶17. (SBU) TICAD IV was an opportunity for Japan to highlight its increasing development assistance support for Africa. The co-organizers, the World Bank, the UN organizations, and others joined Japan to present support for building a "vibrant Africa." The Action Plan and Appendix list proposals and commitments, primarily from Japan, the World Bank and the UN organizations, with additional selected, though spotty, inputs from other donors. The USG's ongoing projects in Africa were ultimately not included in the final text. The GOJ had offered a high-profile speaking slot to the U.S. Director of Foreign Assistance/USAID Administrator. This would have been an opportunity to highlight to African heads of state and other participants the USG's overwhelming support for Africa, as well as the emerging USG collaboration with Japan. Only France and the EU sent Ministers to TICAD IV. TICAD represents a unique space, especially this year with the G-8 Summit led by Japan, within which African leaders can communicate their priorities to a sympathetic audience, and where Japan, the WB and the UN agencies, can reaffirm their commitment to the continent. ¶18. (SBU) At TICAD IV, Japan has made some bold commitments, e.g., doubling aid to Africa. That funding seems likely to come at a cost to other development programming in Asia and elsewhere or to Japan's funding of international organizations given the GOJ's budget deficits and the determination of the Japanese Finance Ministry to reduce development assistance spending by two to four percent annually. Nonetheless, the GOJ's fear of China's rising influence in Africa combined with its quest for a permanent seat on the UNSC may spur Japan's efforts to meet the doubling goal but not without potentially shrinking its footprint elsewhere in the world. End Comment. SCHIEFFER