Toward Agenda 2063 - The Africa we want - : Director Ichiro Tambo Participates in Seminar on Long-Term Development Vision for Africa

2015.02.20

On February 10, 2015, the seminar on the long-term vision for African development entitled “Toward Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want -” was held in Pretoria, South Africa. From JICA-RI, Director Ichiro Tambo attended the seminar.

“Agenda 2063,” a long-term development vision on politics, the economy, and society in the next 50 years in Africa aims for African prosperity based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. The framework was originally proposed on the occasion of the AU’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2013, which was, after a series of consultations, adopted at 24th AU Summit in January 2015. To further deepen discussion on the framework, JICA jointly held a seminar on the long-term vision for African development with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa.

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Participants at the seminar

In the opening session, a representative of the Embassy of Japan in South Africa and the government of the South Africa gave opening remarks, followed by a message by Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of NEPAD. Subsequently, the African Union Commission (AUC) reported the progress on Agenda 2063, whereas the ISS and the US think tank Centennial Group gave presentations on future perspectives of the agenda. The Centennial Group shared simulation of long-term socioeconomic changes in Africa as well as policy implications based on the outcomes of a joint research project with JICA-RI.

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Director Tambo (Middle)

Tambo participated in a panel discussion with NEPAD representatives and researchers from think tanks. In his remarks, he talked about Japan’s experiences in development during post-war reconstruction and high economic growth period, giving examples of the “role of the Economic Council” and the “Income Doubling Plan.” He explained that a combination of the bottom-up approach such as dialogue with citizens and the top-down approach by then Prime Minister Ikeda was one of driving factors behind the success. He also opined that development agencies were expected to act as a catalyst or facilitator while implementation process of Agenda 2063 should be led by African leaders.

Around 170 local policymakers, practitioners and researchers participated in the seminar. They discussed about coordination between Agenda 2063 and each country’s development plans, and the direction of structural transformation in the African economy with a focus on the importance of science and technology.

The simulation and policy implications by JICA and the Centennial Group on long-term economic change in Africa was originally presented at the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), held in Yokohama in June 2013. The outcome was subsequently published by Oxford University Press, under the title Africa 2050 - Realizing the Continent’s Full Potential in January 2014.

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