WELCOME	  REMARKS	  BY	  H.E.	  MR.	  ESTIFANOS	  AFEWORKI,	  AMBASSADOR	  OF	  THE	  STATE	  OF	  ERITREA	  AND	  THE	  DEAN	  OF	  AFRICAN	  DIPLOMATIC	  CORPS	  ON	  IMA	  NO	  AFRICA	  EVENT	  AT	  HIBIYA	  PARK,	  JUNE	  16-­‐17,	  2018	  	  Foreign	  Minister	  of	  Japan	  Mr.	  Taro	  KONO	  	  Chairman	  of	  Japan	  –	  AU	  Parliamentary	  Friendship	  Association	  Honorable	  Ichiro	  AISAWA	  Parliamentary	  Vice-­‐Minister	  for	  Foreign	  Affairs,	  Mr.	  
Iwao	  HORII	  	  	  Mr.	  Katsunori	  WATANABE	  Deputy	  Mayor	  City	  of	  Yokohama	  Mr.	  Tsuyoshi	  YAMAMOTO	  Special	  Advisor	  to	  the	  Governor	  on	  International	  Affairs,	  Tokyo	  Metropolitan	  Government	  Director	  General	  of	  the	  African	  Affairs	  Department	  of	  Ministry	  of	  Foreign	  Affairs	  Mr.	  Takeshi	  OSUGA	  	  Distinguished	  guests	  Ladies	  and	  Gentlemen	  	  In	  my	  capacity	  as	  Dean	  of	  the	  African	  Diplomatic	  Corps	  and	  Ambassador	  of	  the	  State	   of	   Eritrea,	   allow	   me	   to	   welcome	   all	   of	   you	   to	   IMA	   NO	   AFRICA	   event	  organized	   for	   the	   first	   time	   by	   38	   African	   Embassies	   in	   Tokyo,	   which	   is	   being	  held	  during	  this	  weekend	  from	  16th	  to	  17th	  June	  2018.	  	  We	  are	  honored	  by	  your	  presence	   and	   thank	   you	   so	   much	   for	   coming	   to	   this	   event	   by	   sacrificing	   your	  weekend	  rest	  to	  be	  with	  us	  in	  the	  opening.	  	  	  As	   you	   might	   all	   know,	   a	   task	   group	   under	   the	   chairmanship	   of	   Ambassador	  Maina	   of	   Kenya	   of	   the	   African	   Diplomatic	   Corps’	   Media,	   Culture	   and	   Tourism	  Committee	  with	  the	  support	  and	  participation	  of	  Japan	  public	  and	  private	  sectors	  has	  produced	  a	  wonderful	  product	  for	  all	  of	  us	  to	  benefit	  and	  enjoy	  this	  weekend.	  	  Please,	  let	  us	  give	  them	  a	  round	  of	  applause	  for	  their	  successful	  and	  wonderful	  work.	  	  Allow	   me	   also,	   to	   briefly	   mention	   here	   in	   the	   first	   place,	   why	   the	   African	  Diplomatic	  Corps	  decided	  to	  organize	  these	  important	  event	  of	  IMA	  NO	  AFRICA	  in	   the	   spirit	   of	   African	   ownership	   and	   partnership	   with	   the	   public	   and	   private	  sector	  of	  Japan.	  	  	  The	  African	  Diplomatic	  Corps	  believes	  that	  this	  event:	  	  	  1) is	   a	   Means,	   to	   improve	   and	   enhance	   understanding	   between	   Japan	   and	  Africa/African	  countries,	  2) 	  is	   a	   Stimulus,	   to	   conserve	   and	   continuously	   improve	   the	   Tokyo	  International	   Conference	   on	   African	   Development	   (TICAD)	   processes	   and	  activities,	  3) is	   a	   Vehicles,	   for	   exposing	   the	   potential	   of	   Africa/African	   countries	   to	  Japanese	  and	  international	  investors,	  and	  	  4) is	  a	  Venue,	  to	  provide	  opportunities	  for	  Japanese	  and	  Africans	  from	  different	  walks	   of	   live:	   businesses,	   academia,	   government	   leaders,	   bureaucrats,	  politicians,	  artists,	  media	  and	  local	  folks	  to	  conduct	  mutual	  dialogues.	  	  Please	   kindly	   be	   informed	   that	   the	   38	   African	   countries	   represented	   here	   are	  ready	  to	  exchange	  ideas	  and	  opinions	  with	  you	  for	  the	  next	  two	  days.	  Let’s	  not	  talk	  about	  Africa.	  Let’s	  talk	  directly	  to	  Africa	  in	  this	  event.	  	  	  IMA	   NO	   AFRICA	   showcasing	   Africa	   Today	   is	   a	   statement	   of	   friendship,	   call	   for	  action	   and	   engagement	   by	   the	   African	   Diplomatic	   Corps	   to	   all	   friends	   of	   Africa	   in	  Tokyo	   and	   Japan	   prior	   to	   the	   continued	   TICAD	   VII	   YOKOHAMA	   2019.	   	   Let’s	   us	  talk	  business	  now	  because	  it	  is	  in	  the	  mutual	  interest	  of	  all	  African	  countries	  and	  Japan.	  	  	  This	   weekend	   mission	   of	   IMA	   NO	   AFRICA	   is	   to	   help	   make	   Africa/African	  countries	  one	  of	  the	  many	  economic,	  social	  and	  cultural	  destinations	  of	  Japan	  in	  the	  world.	  	  	  Thank	  you