Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will depart for Japan to join over 40 Heads of State and Government to attend the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-V) Summit to be held in Yokohama.
The three-day conference, which will kick off on Saturday, will be followed by a working visit on 4 June, the Presidency said.
“South Africa's participation in the upcoming TICAD meetings is premised on the AU strategic objective of ensuring that all global partnerships with Africa should support the African development priorities, while also strengthening Africa's participation in global affairs as an equal partner,” the Presidency said.
TICAD is a strategic partnership between Africa and Japan that was launched in 1993, with a view to serve as a consultative forum for development assistance to Africa.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the TICAD Process and this coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the OAU/AU.
The TICAD-V Summit, which will be held under the theme "Hand in Hand with a Dynamic Africa", will adopt the TICAD-V Declaration as well as its five-year Action Plan that will guide the strategic cooperation between Africa and Japan between 2013 -2017.
Working visit
With regards to the working visit, it is envisaged that, President Zuma will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to review bilateral relations and exchange views on critical regional and global issues.
He will also engage the Japanese business community with a view to attracting more Japanese investments into the country.
“South Africa and Japan share similar views on the importance of multilateralism, which includes non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the reform of the UN system, to be more responsive to the interests of Africa and the developing world.”
Bilateral relations between the two continue to grow and have been elevated to a Strategic Co-operative Partnership.
In 2010, South Africa and Japan celebrated 100 years of relations. Japan has consistently been one of South Africa's three major trading partners. “Over the past years, bilateral trade and investment has grown substantially with further opportunity for growth. Japan contributes to skills development in South Africa through training facilities managed by the Japan International Cooperative Agency,” added the Presidency.
President Zuma will be accompanied by a delegation of cabinet ministers including Minister of International Relations and Cooperation’s Nkoana-Mashabane, Tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Trade and Industry Rob Davies, Minister in the Presidency, Collins Chabane, Deputy Minister of Finance Nhlanhla Nene and Deputy Minister for Economic Development Hlengiwe Mkhize. - SAnews.gov.za
