Agency for Natural Resources and EnergyMETI Held “The Japan-Africa Ministerial Meeting for Resources Development”- METI Minister announced a program titled “Japan’s Initiatives for Promotion of African Resources Development” -

METI held the meeting in Tokyo, and it was co-chaired by Minister Motegi and Ms. Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources, South Africa, with people invited from 15 countries,* including ministers of 11 countries. At the meeting, Minister Motegi outlined the following four basic policies for supporting mineral resources development in Africa: [i] promoting investment for infrastructure and resources development in Africa, [ii] strengthening the basis of African resources industry and human resource development, [iii] promoting sustainable resources development in terms of environment / safety, and [iv] encouraging symbiosis with local communities. Participants discussed related issued based on the policies.

Minister Motegi also described Japan's future efforts, in which, as a part of the initiatives, the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) will provide 2 billion dollars as financial incentives regarding investment in Africa for the coming five years as well as developing 1,000 human resources in the resources field. These efforts were approved by the participants.

The meeting served a good starting point that invites Japanese enterprises to proactively invest in Africa and also encourages them to provide sustainable development there, together with the J-SUMIT (Japan Sustainable Mining, Investment and Technology Business Forum), which was held in Tokyo on May 16 and 17, 2013.

*Note: Participating countries:
Republic of Angola, Republic of Botswana, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabonese Republic, Kingdom of Lesotho, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Niger, Republic of South Africa, Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Zambia, and Republic of Zimbabwe (in alphabetical order; bold font represents countries whose ministers participated in the meeting)

Group photograph of delegations from countries at the meeting

Reference: the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which will be held in Yokohama on June 1 to 3, 2013

Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is a Japan-led policy forum, which focuses on the development of Africa and is co-organized by the United Nations, World Bank, the African Union Commission, and other entities. Since the inauguration of the TICAD in 1993, all the summit-level conferences have been held in Japan once every five years.

May 22, 2013

• Mineral and Natural Resources Division, Coal Division, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Division, Natural Resources and Fuel Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE)
• Nuclear Energy Policy Planning Division, Electricity and Gas Industry Department, ANRE

For information on TICAD
Middle East and Africa Division, Trade Policy Bureau, METI