ZAMBIA AT JAPAN-AFRICA BUSINESS FORUM
Zambia participated in the inaugural Japan-Africa Business
Forum which started on 10th June 2014 and officially ended on
11th June 2014. The Zambian delegation was led by the Ministerof Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Robert Sichinga, MP. Thedelegation included the Board Chairman of the Zambia
Development Agency Mr. Songowaya Zyambo, The Acting Director
General of the Zambia Development Agency Mrs. Florence Mumbaand the Manager for Investment Promotion at Zambia
Development Agency Mrs. Jessica Mwiinga Chombo. Othermembers of the delegation were the Director General for theCitizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Mr.
Likando Mukumbuta, an Economist from the Ministry ofCommerce, Trade and Industry Mr. Amos Mumba and theMinister’s Assistant and Economist Mr. Mukela Munalula.
Diplomatic Staff at the Zambian Embassy in Tokyo also attended
the Forum.

ABOUT THE FORUM
The Japan-Africa Business Forum carried the theme: Succeedingin Africa: Unlocking Growth & Opportunities. It was organized by
the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo in conjunction with theAfrican Development Bank. Other co-organizers were Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan External Trade
Organization (JETRO), Africa Society of Japan and the Nikkei
Business Planning and Editorial Center. The Forum had support
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Japan Oil, Gas andMetals National Corporation (JOGMEC), Japan Bank forInternational Cooperation (JBIC) United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Development
Organization (UNDP), Keidanren, Committee on Africa-Japan

Relations - Keizai doyukai, Alliance Forum Foundation, Africa
Business Promotion Support Network and World Bank Group.
The Forum attracted about 600 participants comprising
Government Officials from African Countries and Japan andPrivate and Public Business Executives from African and Japan.

BackgroundAt the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African
Development (TICAD V) in June 2013, Japan and the Africancountries in attendance identified, "promotion of private sectorled economic growth," as a common priority and recognized theimportance for Japan of contributing to the growth anddevelopment of Africa through business activity. This can beachieved if the Japanese Government makes progress withprojects to support Africa and injects Overseas Development
Assistance (ODA) selectively in individual sectors, such as private
sector development, infrastructure, agriculture, environment,health, medicine, nutrition, education and human resources
development. At the same time, more Japanese companies areexpected to commit themselves to doing business and investing inAfrica actively, thereby enhancing their business partnerships
with the continent.
In January this year, Prime Minister Abe visited Côte d'Ivoire,Mozambique and Ethiopia. Accompanied by many Japanesebusiness leaders, the Prime Minister demonstrated his
determination to aggressively reinforce the business partnerships
between Japan and Africa. At the headquarters of the African
Union (AU), he delivered a policy speech entitled, "Japan’s
Diplomacy in Africa: Empowering Individuals" in which hestressed that Japanese companies should conduct business inAfrica in a manner that would encourage each individual African
employee and partner to enhance his/her competence anddemonstrate ingenuity. In this way, Japanese companies could
serve as a catalyst to help Africa leverage its unique strengths.
The Prime Minister also expressed his desire for Africa to haveclose relationships with Japan and Japanese companies, and at
the same time called on Japanese companies to contribute to"robust," "sustainable," "inclusive" and "green" growth in Africa bylaunching businesses and investing in the region, saying, "I urge
you to weave a new tapestry of growth, as you did in Asia over theyears, from Africa’s vibrant colors of thread.”○ As the change and growth in Africa has been obvious since thebeginning of the 21st century, Japanese companies havebecome increasingly aggressive in their business activities
and investments in Africa. Following TICAD V, this trend has
gained greater encouragement and support within the contextof Japan's policy to support African development and growth.
○To follow up TICAD V and Prime Minister Abe's recent visit toAfrica and with the goal of contributing to further
enhancement of the business partnerships between Japanand Africa various stakeholders reckoned it fit to hold theFirst Africa Business Forum in Tokyo this year, one year after
TICAD V. The event was also proposed by the African
Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo.

The Japan-Africa Business Forum drew together leaders from thepublic and private sectors. Africa’s and Japan’s top businessconsultants, executives and experienced business leaders doing
business in Africa. Featuring a combination of expert keynote
addresses, lively panel discussion and in-depth case studies.
Speakers explored and debated on various themes evolving
around driving and acceleration of Africa’s growth and profile
Africa’s growing popularity as an investment destination in thecoming years.
The Theme “Succeeding In Africa: Unlocking Growth &Opportunities,” highlighted enterprises operating across thecontinent in various sectors featuring panels, networking and thebusiness pitch from the regional groupings in Africa.
The Agenda of the Forum had well thought themes ondevelopments and investment opportunities in Africa’s Energy
and Power sector, Infrastructure – Transportation, Water, Social
Infrastructures, Africa’s Rising Entrepreneurs & Innovators andintroduction of promising African entrepreneurs. The Forumfurther discussed Agribusiness in Africa and how Japaneseenterprises can contribute to Africa’s move to more advanced
industrial structure. Other sessions were on Health, Risk
Management as well as Finance: Investment Value and Raising
Funds. Business opportunities in individual regions of Africa werepresented and discussed.
The Forum was planned and organized in the following manner:(1) Leading African business persons interested in building
business partnerships with Japan as well as African officials
engaged in private sector-led development and industrial andinvestment promotion were invited. Representatives ofJapanese companies already investing or are already engaged
in business in Africa or which plan to do so were also invited,as well as Japanese officials engaged in supporting businessand investment in Africa.
(2) African participants gave presentations on recent businesstrends and business opportunities in sectors and regions inwhich active entry by Japan is expected. Japaneseparticipants gave presentations on their current activities andfuture visions for Japanese companies actively doing business
in Africa.
(3) Discussions focused on various topics, such as challenges
perceived and experienced by business organizations andpotential Japanese investors in Africa and solutions to thesame as well as creative ideas on how to further enhance thebusiness partnerships between Africa and Japan.

Zambia’s Participation
The delegation leader, Honorable Sichinga was one of thepanelists for the session on Risk Management. During thesession, Honorable Sichinga opened the floor and presented on
actual risks and perceived risks in Africa. The Minister took thistime to present Zambia’s case highlighting what measures
Zambia has put in place to mitigate the perceived risks. In all, theMinister delivered the point that Zambia is one of the most stablecountries on the continent, politically and has instituted legal
provisions such as the ZDA Investment Act that ensure
protection of foreign investments. The Minister further
highlighted the attractiveness of the Tax incentives that Zambia
offers to foreign investors.

Zambia Session
Side events and meetings such as exclusive country sessions tofacilitate interaction between Japanese and African businesspersons as well as Government officials were organized.
During Zambia’s country session, the Zambian team showcasedto Japanese Business Executives and Entrepreneurs theinvestment opportunities that the country has. The Minister ofCommerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Robert Sichinga, MP urged
Japanese Business Entrepreneurs to urgently extend theirinvestments to the resource-rich Zambia.
Hon. Sichinga explained that the Zambian Government wasinterested and looking for mutually beneficial partnerships withforeign investors to harness and add value to Zambia’s vast
natural resources. The Honorable Minister added that Zambia isendowed with various and vast natural resources such as water,arable and unused land, minerals including Manganese, uranium,nickel, precious stones and large deposits of Copper.
The Minister assured potential Japanese investors that theirinvestments in Zambia would be protected through the various
pieces of legislation such as the Zambia Development Act and theInvestment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) that theZambian Government signs with Foreign Investors.
Speaking at the same session, Zambia Development Agency
Board Chairman Mr. Songowayo Zyambo said Zambia has
mitigated most of the investment risks that exist in Africa. Mr.
Zyambo explained that Zambia is one of the most politically andeconomically stable countries in Africa having witnessed peacefultransitions of power and change of leadership. He said because ofsuch, foreign and local investors are assured of security of theirinvestments and businesses.
The ZDA Board Chairman further said that Zambia is regarded
well as one of the countries in Africa in terms of dialogue between
the Private Sector and Government.
Mr. Zyambo also told the Japanese Business Executives thatZambia has strict Law Enforcement that guarantees protection ofForeign Investments.

EXCLUSIVE EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE EMBASSY
Meeting with Tokyo Rotary Club
Honorable Sichinga, flanked by the team from the Zambia
Development Agency met 36 Japanese Business Executives at theTokyo Rotary Club and discussed business opportunities inZambia.

The meeting provided an opportunity for more business matching
meetings for Honorable Sichinga and his delegation. The
delegation had an hour to present to the Rotarians various
business and investment opportunities in Zambia.

Meeting with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation
JOGMEC
During this visit to Tokyo, Honorable Sichinga also met thePresident of Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation(JOGMEC) Mr. Hiro Bumi Kawano.
During this meeting, it was revealed that JOGMEC had madeseveral visits to Zambia and met Government officials including
the former Minister of Mines, Hon. Dr. Kalombo Mwansa andformer Minister of Commerce and Trade, Hon. Felix Mutati.
JOGMEC indicated that these interactions had culminated into
the firm signing, with the Zambian Government, a Memorandumof Understanding whose provisions have not been implemented oractualized.

Hon. Sichinga promised JOGMEC that he would follow up thematter and emphasized that he would ensure that the MoU isrevisited and implemented. The Minister promised to approach
the Ministry of Mines as well as ZCCM-IH over the matter toaccelerate engagements of JOGMEC as the organization’s services
for explorations are very much needed and important to Zambia.
The Minister assured JOGMEC that if ZCCM-IH was not ready towork with JOGMEC, his Ministry would find alternatives. He
further promised to facilitate fruitful meetings between JOGMEC
and the Zambian Government and other interested stakeholders,
adding that the President of the Republic of Zambia, H. E. Mr.
Michael Sata and his Government were keen to actualize andaccelerate business engagements between Japan and Zambia as
opposed to the dependence on Overseas Development Assistance(ODA), a matter he said was highlighted by H. E. President
Michael Sata when he attended the TICAD V in 2013.

The Minister further assured JOGMEC that Zambia would
allocate an economic zone (MFEZ) for Japanese investors andbusiness firms to operate.

Meeting with Prof. Tetsushi Sonobe
Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)

NationalGraduate

The Hon. Minister also met Professor Tetsushi Sonobe fromNational Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) anddiscussed matters relating to Industrial Clusters and how they
can be remolded and implemented in Zambia. This is a bid toboost Zambia’s Small and Medium Enterprises and the youths
involved in the informal sector businesses such as welding andcarpentry.

Meeting with Mr. Yu Imada, President of the Metal CoatingLaboratory and Manufacturing Company in TokyoWith the help and introduction by Prof. Sonobe of GRIPS,
Honorable Sichinga had a meeting with Mr. Yu Imada President ofthe Metal Coating Laboratory and Manufacturing Company inTokyo. The Minister invited Mr. Imada to extend his business andoperate from Zambia. The firm is specialized in manufacturing
metal-coated and polished products / machine parts for use byother firms as part of the production chain. The Honorable
Minister had a guided tour of the manufacturing plant. The
Minister said the tour gave more insight to what Zambia neededin order to establish industrial clusters.