ABE Initiative Evolves at TICAD 9: Japan and Africa Deepen Ties Through Human Capital

On Aug. 20, 2025, a special side event was held at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama. The thematic event titled “The Past and Future of the ABE Initiative: Towards Further Bridging Human Resources Development ” brought together representatives from Japan and Africa to reflect on more than a decade of achievements under the ABE Initiative —formally known as the “Master's Degree and Internship Program of African Business Education Initiative for Youth”—and to introduce its next phase, ABE Initiative 4.0 (2025–2030), officially launched at TICAD 9.

Co-hosted by the International University of Japan (IUJ) and the Kobe Institute of Computing (KIC), the hybrid event also showcased JICA’s broader concept of TOMONI Africa, derived from the Japanese word tomoni (meaning “together), which promotes reciprocal human resource exchange between Japan and Africa. The event featured opening remarks, presentations on ABE Initiative’s accomplishments, case studies and a panel discussion.

Kaizuka James , Research Fellow at the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development, presented data on the quantitative outcomes of ABE 3.0 (2019-2025), a phase that emphasized strategic participant selection, enhanced internship opportunities, and deeper collaboration with Japanese companies. His presentation included detailed case studies of successful alumni.

Drawing on his research project “Making Japan’s Business Africa’s Business: Exploring the Impacts of the ABE Initiative ,” Kaizuka analysed the experiences of 74 former ABE scholars from Rwanda, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya. His study was supported by a survey of 292 alumni from 45 countries, along with interviews with JICA staff and Japanese companies. The research explored how ABE graduates have translated their Japanese education into innovation and social impact, and how their positionality—the degree of influence and decision-making authority they hold within their organizations—affects the scale of their achievements.

Through three case studies from Rwanda, each centered on a different individual, Kaizuka illustrated how “positionality” determines impact. Etienne Rwagatore, a recent KIC graduate, applied his master’s research to implement a smart-parking system in Kigali, aimed at reducing traffic congestion and pollution. Materne Ntihemuka, a senior IT manager and former employee of the Japanese firm WiredIn, is developing back-end systems for the Business Development Fund (BDF) to expand access to microfinance for small businesses and the agriculture sector. Finally, Mugarura Amiri, one of the first ABE participants, founded a company involved in digital government service creation. Presently, his company is creating a system to digitize criminal record checks, used in areas such as education, law enforcement, and security. Separately, he also works with a Japanese company to import Japanese lightning-protection technology for regional distribution. Together, these three case studies demonstrate how individual positionality within an organization can shape both the scale and nature of impact.

Across all four countries studied, Kaizuka found that ABE scholars in managerial or leadership roles achieve the most substantial outcomes—local, national, and even international in scope—by leveraging Japanese skills and networks. His conclusion was clear: positionality generates impact. Empowering ABE graduates with real decision-making authority, he argued, is the key to unlocking their potential to “spread their wings and fly.”

Later presentations explored the ABE 4.0 and TOMONI Africa action plan, discussing the future roles of these programs in connecting human resources, strengthening private-sector partnerships, and enhancing the two-way flow of knowledge and skills between African and Japanese youth.