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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