African leaders root for more trade instead of aid at Tokyo meet

By VITALIS KIMUTAI

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN: About 40 African Heads of State are among 3,000 delegates expected at the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Affairs (TICAD V) that kicks off today in Yokohama, Japan.

Yesterday, the African leaders pitched for more investment than aid from the Japanese Government.

The leaders, who spoke during a meeting between them and the Japanese Government, also called on Tokyo to invest in other fields like agriculture, human resource development and manufacturing.

Traditionally, Japan has concentrated more on extraction of minerals and infrastructure.

Deputy President William Ruto is leading a high-powered delegation of Kenyan Secretaries and heads of various key government departments.

Today, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold talks with Ruto and his delegation where bilateral trade relations between the two countries will be discussed. Yesterday, the leaders who spoke included Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Liberia’s President Ellen Sirleaf, Ruto and World Bank Vice President for Africa Region Makhtar Diop.

Mr Desalegn said: “We want more trade investments than aid. Africa’s potential for investment is high.”

Attract investment

The Ethiopian PM also challenged African countries to enact more laws that facilitate and attract investment.

Mrs Sirleaf observed that the African continent was growing fast because of two decades of reforms.

Quoting an International Monetary Fund report, she said: “Africa is growing at a rate of between five and eight per cent and this shows it is very attractive for investment by the private sector.”

However, she argued that the growth was not trickled down to ordinary citizens as more than 50 per cent still lived below the poverty line.

“We should ensure that our growth is translated into economic emancipation of the people,” she added.

Mr Ruto said African governments should focus more on creating environments that attract investors.

He said Kenya believed in a government-facilitated private sector investment. “We intend to provide new impetus to ensure the private sector helps the Government implement its pledges...that should be the goal in the continent,” the deputy president added.

In a separate meeting with Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Ruto said the Government will provide a conducive climate for investment. He praised Japanese government and companies involved in geothermal development, funding technology training and expansion of the Mombasa port among other projects.

Mr Diop said the reforms the continent underwent in the 1980’s and 90’s were now “paying dividends”.

However, he said low access and adoption of technology was still a problem in Africa. 

The three-day conference is jointly organised by the government of Japan,  United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),World Bank and African Union.