Foreign Minister Hayashi Visits TICAD Center in Ethiopia

On Aug 03, H.E. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan paid a visit to the TICAD Human Resource Development Center for Business and Industry (TICAD-HRD Center). He was met by H.E Melaku Alebel, Minister of Industry, who shared the impact that KAIZEN has had on Ethiopia’s manufacturing industry and how KAIZEN was being adapted by Ethiopians.

The TICAD Center, which was built through a 27.5 million USD grant by the Government of Japan, will serve as a training and research center on KAIZEN in Ethiopia and eventually throughout Africa. The Government of Ethiopia has adopted policies to use KAIZEN to further develop the manufacturing and services sectors, as well as hospitals and schools.

The Center, which will train 50,000 individuals a year, will also play a significant role in helping the Ministry of Industry achieve its Ethiopia Tamrit Movement which is geared towards helping the manufacturing sector increase its exports by using KAIZEN to increase productivity as well as enhance quality and competitiveness. JICA has been working with the Kaizen Excellence Center (formerly the Ethiopian Kaizen Institute) to develop the capacity of the institute by training consultants and helping develop frameworks for disseminating KAIZEN.

The TICAD Center will be officially inaugurated in October of 2023.