August 7, 2006. Tokyo – The World Bank Group held Public Seminar “Challenges and New Opportunities in Africa” today by connecting Tokyo Development Learning Center, Osaka, Nakanoshima Center of Osaka University, and World Bank South Africa office via videoconference. Some 70 participants gathered at Tokyo, while about 40 were brought together in Osaka. The connection to Osaka was made possible in collaboration with Kankeiren (Kansai Economic Federation) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). At the start of the seminar, Mr. Yukio Yoshimura, World Bank Vice President and Special Representative, Japan made welcome remarks on behalf of the organizers. He affirmed that supporting Africa is one of the Bank’s current priorities, citing that World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz focused on support to Africa as his priority when he visited Japan last October and May to explore the partnership with Japan. Then, Mr. John Page, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa made a keynote address. He pointed out that Africa’s positioning in the global economy had changed especially since 1990’s, and briefed from a global standpoint on challenges and opportunities in Africa including governance, shared growth, secondary and tertiary education, and human development. Dr. B.S.Ngubane, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Japan and Mr. Katsumi Hirano, Director of the JETRO Johannesburg Center followed with comments. Dr. Ngubane showed a video on South Africa and spoke about challenges in Africa from the standpoint of South Africa and shared the outlook. Mr. Hirano emphasized the importance of the private sector in promoting economic growth in Africa and the necessity of building a new framework for assistance policy to support further growth in Africa. Questions were raised from participants on the current situation of education in Africa, how the assistance strategy for Africa should be, and outlook for the Bank’s support for infrastructure. The seminar was facilitated in Tokyo by Mr. Koichi Omori, Communications Officer from the Bank’s Tokyo Office, and in Osaka by Ms. Noriko Mimura, the Bank’s Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO) and head of the International Group of Kansai Economic Federation. It was the third in the series of seminars in Tokyo on the economy and private sector development in Africa, following the sessions in December 2003 and January 2006. While the past sessions were centered around efforts of a wide rage of relevant bodies including Japanese companies, the recent seminar was more from a macro point of view where the focus was on what particularly among African economy and development represents a new opportunities. The seminar was followed by the Coffee Hour with the Ambassador co-sponsored by TICAD Civil Society Forum at the Bank’s Public Information Center (PIC Tokyo), with approximately 50 attendants. After the opening speech by Mr. John Page, the Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa, Dr. Ngubane, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Japan spoke as a guest speaker, covering in details the current situation and challenges of South Africa and economic and trade ties with Japan. Then, Ms. Yumiko Makino, a researcher from the Africa Study Group of Institute of Developing Economies Japan External Trade Organization shared her experiences in South Africa, focusing on changes in the society and measures against HIV/AIDS before and after democratization in the country. TICAD Civil Society Forum, a network comprising experts and practitioners diversely engaged in Africa, works for research and gives advices in regard to policies and partnership with civil society groups to support Africa. PIC Tokyo has co-hosted Coffee Hour with African Ambassadors to Japan with TICAD Civil Society Forum since last October.  |  | | Mr. John Page, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa (Left) and Mr. Ngubane, South African Ambassador to Japan (Right), addressing the challenges and opportunities in Africa | Ms. Kumiko Makino of JETRO Institute of Developing Economies talking about the recent politics and economics of South Africa
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