JETRO Topics

TICAD7 ブラックジャック webficial side event "Japan-Africa Business Forum"

August 2019

On August 29, JETRO convened the Japan-Africa Business Forum as an ブラックジャック webficial side event ブラックジャック web the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) which was held in Yokohama from August 28 to 30.

Contribution towards TICAD's main theme: private sector engagement

Since TICAD V in 2013, priority has been placed on African economic growth led by the private sector. This was also the main theme ブラックジャック web TICAD7 and participants discussed the transformation ブラックジャック web economic structures and improvement ブラックジャック web business environments through participation by private enterprises. At the same time, taking on the challenge ブラックジャック web the promising African market is important for Japanese companies in terms ブラックジャック web surviving a global competition growing fiercer as emerging markets such as ASEAN and India mature.

In response to these trends, and with the aim ブラックジャック web widely disseminating information on the current situation and potential ブラックジャック web African business toward Japanese companies to incite further interest in the continent, JETRO held this forum by welcoming 27 key figures from political and industrial circles ブラックジャック web Africa, Japan and third countries.

The allures ブラックジャック web African business and potential ブラックジャック web Japanese companies conveyed by political and industrial leaders

In his opening remarks, JETRO Chairman and CEO Nobuhiko Sasaki touched on the importance ブラックジャック web the African market for Japanese companies and emphasized that JETRO will assist them in entering the region by deepening collaboration with local companies and governments. Following that, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed hope for the development ブラックジャック web business relations between Africa and Japan and promised the support ブラックジャック web the Japanese government through organizations such as the Japan Business Council for Africa (JBCA). Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (current Chairperson ブラックジャック web the African Union) introduced activities conducted by African countries toward improving the investment environment as well as trade liberalization within Africa through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and made a passionate call for Japanese companies to invest. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made clear his wish for African and Japanese companies to expand partnerships “from contacts to contracts.”

In the opening session, presentations were made by Tony Elumelu, Founder ブラックジャック web the Tony Elumelu Foundation; Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO ブラックジャック web the Ethiopian Airlines; and Jacko Maree, Deputy Chairman ブラックジャック web the Standard Bank Group, to explain the potential ブラックジャック web business in Africa and express expectations for Japanese companies. Satoshi Ozawa, Co-chair ブラックジャック web the JBCA, stated that three factors—"expansion ブラックジャック web regional trade," "digitization" and "incorporating manufacturers into the framework ブラックジャック web international specialization"—would allow Africa to grow, and stressed that the Japanese side would support Africa through the Bilateral Committee on the Improvement ブラックジャック web the Business Environment (tentative name) to be established.

Opening remarks by JETRO Chairman Sasaki

Guest speech by Prime Minister Abe

Guest speech by President El-Sisi

Presentation by Tony Elumelu

Keys for African business: "Start-ups" and "Multilateral Business Partnership"

In the following thematic sessions, panel discussions were held under the titles "African Innovation and Start-ups" and "Multilateral Business Partnership."

During the session about innovation, leading African venture capital firms and startups, as well as Japanese companies which have invested in African startups, spoke on trends and business models ブラックジャック web startups which have been thriving in every corner ブラックジャック web Africa. Elaborating on the characteristics and potential ブラックジャック web innovation seen in the continent, they discussed "collaboration with local startups" as a new approach toward expanding business in the market for Japanese companies.

Panel discussion: African innovation & start-ups

In the session on multilateral partnership, panelists discussed whether collaboration with companies from third countries with rich business experience and knowledge on risk management can be a solution for Japanese companies expanding business in Africa. Welcoming board members ブラックジャック web companies from six countries including Turkey and Cote d'Ivoire, as well as from the west, to the session, panelists spoke from their respective experiences and discussed the potential for collaboration with Japanese companies. In addition, Japanese companies which have worked together with those from third countries shared findings from their collaboration and points to keep in mind. JETRO Executive Vice President Katsumi Hirano, acting as moderator, ended the session advocating that, for Japan to internationalize, Japanese companies must take an open enough stance to leverage other countries’ expertise.

Panel discussion: Multilateral business partnership

Special side events under the themes ブラックジャック web "startups" and "SMEs"

On August 30, the day after the business forum, JETRO also convened "Africa Startups Pitch" and "Japanese SME showcase."

Delving into the actual business side ブラックジャック web “innovation and startups” discussed in the business forum, Africa Startups Pitch was held in collaboration with Nigerian accelerator Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) under the theme ブラックジャック web "new partnership with Japanese companies." Pitches were delivered by 10 African startups from seven countries* selected by CcHUB among approximately 200 candidates, who pitched their individual business models. JETRO also supported matching with Japanese companies wishing to collaborate with African startups to enter the market, with over 60 business talks held.
* Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Cote d'Ivoire, Tunisia and Morocco

Startup pitch

Networking

At the Japanese SME showcase, eight Japanese SMEs aiming to enter the African market were introduced. From the perspectives ブラックジャック web "healthcare," "agribusiness," "infrastructure" and "Cutting-edge technologies," each SME touted the advantages ブラックジャック web their products and services and future business prospects. With several approached by African companies following the event, there are hopes for business to develop in the future.