Today's column LOOK - the second in a special series on the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). We talk to Shintaro Matoba, director of the Middle East and Africa in the Department of International Studies of the Japanese Organization for the Development of Foreign Trade (JETRO) of the African economy, which is experiencing rapid growth, as well as Japanese companies coming to the African continent.
The first TICAD conference was held in 1993, when international aid to Africa was a decline. Japan has decided to host this conference in order to lead efforts to mobilize international assistance. In the intervening 20 years, the situation has changed significantly. In particular, these changes became apparent after 2000, when China and other countries with rapid economic development economic growth has begun. Rose private investment in Africa, attracted by the rich untapped mineral resources.
Funds received from the exploitation of resources, went into the bank, and private consumption is growing at a phenomenal rate. It is expected that around 2030 the population of Africa will double, which means that consumption will continue to grow.
Many Japanese companies seeking to benefit from the rapid growth of consumption in the African continent.
However, unfortunately, we have to note that Japanese companies lag behind their foreign rivals. They are now trying to confirm and strengthen its presence in Africa.
Although the situation on the African continent, there are many positive aspects, but also has extreme poverty, infectious disease and civil war. This year, the TICAD conference will discuss what the private sector can do to solve these problems.
Source: NHK
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