UNIDO ITPO TOKYO SIDE EVENT AT TICAD8：HOW TO SUCCEED IN ATTRACTING INVESTMENT AND TECHNOLOGY FROM JAPAN – BEST PRACTICES FROM THE UNIDO ITPO TOKYO ADVISOR AND DELEGATE PROGRAMMES IN AFRICA

Since 1981, the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Tokyo (UNIDO ITPO Tokyo) has been implementing investment and technology promotion projects throughout the world, with many successful cases in Africa.

Since 2013, the Office has increased its focus on the promotion of Japanese investments and technologies to African countries by appointing local advisors in Algeria, Ethiopia (covering also Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda), Mozambique and Senegal, and by enhancing its delegates programmes from African countries.

Through the collective experience of delegates and advisors – including during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic – best practices and know how have been accumulated on how to successfully invite Japanese investments and technology to Africa.

Indeed, the experience and expertise of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo are of utmost importance as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an important driver of increased productivity and competitiveness, infusing capital, disseminating innovative technologies and knowhow, and creating much needed jobs and generation of income in recipient countries, including in Africa.

Furthermore, technological progress is also crucial to offer sustainable solutions to both economic and environmental challenges: industrial and technical cooperation between enterprises from developing and emerging countries with partners from industrialized countries has a positive effect on human capital by building entrepreneurial, managerial and technical skills, thereby improving the efficiency of the manufacturing sector. In addition, investment and technology also have important roles to play in improving infrastructure, diversifying the economy and production base of developing and emerging countries, as well as in facilitating their access to international markets.

All in all, the sustained promotion of investment and technologies can have a positive effect on Africa’s development while also leading to Progress by Innovation. However, the successful achievement of projects requires time and commitments by both Japanese investors and African counterparts, combined with the right economic and political policies in target countries.

As such, during the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD8) in Tunisia, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo will organize a virtual side event that will focus on specific examples of successful investment and technology projects in order to provide a blueprint to African countries and Japanese companies on how to attain successful partnerships through long term vision, dedication and perseverance.

Accordingly, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo’s Advisors and Delegates will share their experiences and advice on how to successfully engage with Japanese investors and technology providers, also by highlighting challenges and opportunities which they have experienced first-hand.

Programme:

Venue:	Zoom Webinar
Date & Time:	24 August 2022 from 17:00 to 18:30 (Japan time)
Languages:	English, French, and Japanese (simultaneous interpretation)

Tentative Agenda:

17:00 – 17:10	Openin Remarks H.E. Mr. Rachad Bouhlal, Chair of the Trade and Investment Committee of the African Diplomatic Corps in Japan, and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Japan Ms. Fatou Haidara, Managing Director, Global Partnerships and External Relations, UNIDO
17:10-17:55	Panel Session I: Best Practices for Supporting Japanese Companies’ Investment and Technology Transfer Projects Moderator: Mr. Ferda Gelegen, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo Panelists: • Mr. Lies Kerrar, Africa Advisor in Algeria, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo • Mr. Tadesse Segni, Africa Advisor in Ethiopia (Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda), UNIDO ITPO Tokyo • Mr. Nandio Durao, Africa Advisor in Mozambique, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo • Ms. Aïssatou Ndiaye, Africa Advisor in Senegal, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo
17:55-18:25	Panel Discussion II: Towards Sustainable and Long-term Japanese Investments in Africa Moderator: Ms. Maki Imazu, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo Panelists: • Mr. Mohamed Aref Hassani, Managing Director, MidParc Casablanca, Morocco • Ms. Solange Amichia, Director General of Investment Promotion Center (CEPICI), Côte d’Ivoire • Mr. Guracha Adi, General Manager of Investor Services, KenInvest, Kenya
18:25-18:30	Closing Remarks Mr. Yasuhiro Nakayama, Assistant Director, Technical Cooperation Division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan