[Ethiopia] Cooperation that capitalizes on the potential to be a major country

July 22, 2019

The large African country of Ethiopia has the third-largest population on the African continent and is home to the headquarters of the African Union, the world's largest regional organization with 55 member countries and regions*. It is said to be the birthplace of Arabian coffee, which grows in tropical highlands, and it is the principal place where the Mocha coffee bean, which is popular in Japan, is grown.

The GDP of Ethiopia has recorded double-digit growth for the past 10 years and has grown roughly tenfold in 20 years. The government is aiming to make Ethiopia a middle-income country by 2023 by affecting a shift from the current agriculture-centered growth to industry-centered growth.

In Ethiopia, JICA is working to disseminate "kaizen" to increase product quality and productivity, prevent the outflow of foreign currency and increase rice production, which leads to higher incomes for farmers. In addition, it is endeavoring to give more people safe water. Through these initiatives, JICA aims for the further development of agriculture, which is a key industry, as well as manufacturing, which is on the rise.

Based on the priority fields touted by the Japanese government at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), these initiatives are bearing fruit little by little and contributing to the development of the relationship between Japan and Ethiopia.