The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Shinzo Abe, has restated his government’s commitment to promoting high-quality investment agreements with African countries.
Abe made the pledge in his speech on Sunday at the Second Plenary Session on the Private Sector at the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, in Nairobi, Kenya.
“In order to develop Africa’s investment climate, Japan will promote high-quality investment agreements in Africa, more actively than ever before.
“What Japanese companies desire on the part of Africa is very clear.
They seek the establishment of safe business environments and the realisation of free and stable corporate activities.
“I firmly believe that the advanced technical capacities of Japanese companies will contribute to the resolution of African development issues,’’ he said.
According to him, business opportunities for Japanese companies in African countries are expanding by the day.
The Prime Minister said that 22 Japanese companies and universities had already taken advantage of the 73 Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) that his government signed with African nations and
organisations.
“The strengths of Japanese companies include their high degree of product quality and their ability to develop highly-skilled human resources through vocational training.
“Japanese companies are able to cultivate Africa’s young people one by one as individuals,’’ he said.
Abe also enjoined African countries to ensure peace and stability in their communities for Japanese companies to invest and do their businesses across the continent.
According to him, TICAD VI has provided an opportunity for participants from the Japanese corporate world and participants from African governments to have free exchanges of views.