Remarks	  Made	  by	  H.E.	  Mr.	  ESTIFANOS	  Afeworki,	  Ambassador	  of	  the	  State	  of	  Eritrea	  to	  Japan	  and	  Dean	  of	  the	  African	  Diplomatic	  Corps	  On	  Tokyo	  African	  Club	  (TAC)	  Meeting	  July	  10,	  2018.	  	  DG	  Taeshi	  Osuga	  Excellencies	  and	  Dear	  Colleagues	  Ladies	  and	  Gentlemen	  	  	  In	  my	  capacity	  as	  the	  Dean	  of	  the	  African	  Diplomatic	  Corps	  and	  the	  Ambassador	  of	  the	  State	  of	  Eritrea	  to	  Japan,	  let	  me	  first	  and	  foremost	  express	  our	  deep	  sorrow	  and	  wish	  for	  fortitude	  to	  Japan	  and	  the	  bereaved	  families	  currently	  affected	  due	  to	  the	  heavy	  rains	  and	  floodings	  in	  west	  Japan.	  	  	  	  	  Our	   group,	   the	   African	   Diplomatic	   Corps	   (ADC)	   has	   been	   closely	   working	   with	  the	  co-­‐organizers	  and	  all	  the	  stakeholders	  of	  the	  TICAD	  process	  in	  order	  to	  put	  the	  opportunities	  availed	  to	  Japan	  by	  Africa	  and	  African	  countries	  especially	  for	  Africa’s	   long	   term	   development	   strategy	   (2050)	   get	   focused	   attention	   from	   the	  TICAD	  process.	  	  As	  our	  main	  obligation,	  we	  have	  been	  duty	  bound	  to	  put	  Africa	  long	   and	   short-­‐term	   development	   strategy	   get	   necessary	   attention	   from	   the	  TICAD	   partnership	   process.	   	   The	   ADC	   believes	   it	   is	   in	   the	   interest	   of	   Japan	   and	  Africa	  to	  enhance	  and	  develop	  an	  institutionalized	  base	  to	  serve	  this	  strategy	  of	  Africa	   already	   adopted	   by	   TICAD	   VI	   Nairobi	   Summit	   of	   2016.	   Cooperation	  between	   African	   countries	   and	   Japan	   on	   peace	   building,	   infrastructure,	  industries,	   governance,	   education,	   research	   and	   services	   is	   not	   only	   an	  imperative	   but	   also	   of	   mutual	   necessity	   in	   Today’s	   Africa	   or	   IMA	   NO	   AFRICA	  now.	  	  	  The	  TICAD	  process	  evolved	  into	  becoming	  a	  unique	  form	  of	  partnership	  program	  because	   it	   included	   ways	   and	   means	   of	   successfully	   monitoring	   and	   evaluating	  the	   implementation	   of	   its	   own	   summit	   pledges.	   The	   ADC	   believes,	   and	   is	   of	   the	  opinion,	  that	  this	  uniqueness	  must	  be	  continuously	  enhanced	  and	  improved.	  It	  is	  time	   that	   we	   sit	   together	   at	   a	   working	   level	   and	   hold	   information	   sharing	  meetings	   with	   all	   the	   stakeholders	   here	   in	   Tokyo	   on	   this	   important	   matter	   as	  soon	  as	  possible.	  	  	  It	  is	  imperative	  that	  ADC	  and	  Ministry	  of	  Foreign	  Affairs	  of	  Japan	  (MoFA)	  work	  together	   more	   than	   any	   time	   now	   to	   serve	   the	   strategy	   of	   partnership	   of	   Japan	  and	  IMA	  NO	  Africa.	  It	  is	  important	  to	  put	  an	  institutionalized	  base	  in	  the	  TICAD	  process	  for	  the	  FDI,	  know	  how,	  and	  technology	  flow	  from/to	  Japan	  and	  Africa	  to	  happen	  now	  not	  tomorrow.	  	  	  The	  ADC	  is	  ready	  to	  work	  with	  MoFA	  and	  other	  stakeholders	  of	  Japan	  especially	  the	   private	   sector	   in	   all	   fronts:	   i.e.	   to	   improve	   the	   TICAD	   process	   and	   look	   into	  ways	  and	  means	  of	  creating	  a	  concrete	  tie-­‐up	  between	  our	  countries	  and	  Japan	  on	  1)	  Science	  and	  Technology	  2)	  Trade	  and	  Investment	  3)	  Tourism,	  Culture	  and	  Media	   promotion	   4)	   Public	   Diplomacy	   between	   Africa	   &	   Japan	   least	   but	   not	   least	  is	   the	   5)	   Improvement	   of	   the	   Travel	   Advisory	   issued	   by	   Ministry	   of	   Foreign	  Affairs	  of	  Japan	  concerning	  our	  countries.	  	  	  1	  	  The	  ADC	  has	  also	  shown	  always	  its	  readiness	  to	  harmonize	  and	  coordinate	  with	  all	   co-­‐organizers	   of	   the	   TICAD	   process	   including	   and	   not	   excluding	   the	   African	  Union	  Commission.	  I	  would	  like	  to	  inform	  the	  Ministry	  of	  Foreign	  Affairs	  of	  Japan	  that	  ADC	  and	  AUC	  are	  looking	  forward	  holding	  a	  working	  meeting	  to	  harmonize	  Africa’s	   position	   before	   the	   Joint	   Monitoring	   Group	   (JMC)	   Meeting	   of	   July	   31,	  2018	  as	  well	  as	  for	  TICAC7.	  	  On	  behalf	  of	  all	  colleagues	  present	  here	  and	  myself,	  let	  me	  thank	  DG	  OSUGA	  and	  TICAD	   Ambassador	   Araki	   for	   calling	   this	   important	   meeting	   once	   again,	   and	  without	   much	   ado,	   before	   I	   give	   the	   floor	   to	   Excellencies	   and	   Dear	   Colleagues	  who	  are	  chairing	  the	  different	  ADC	  committees	  for	  them	  also	  to	  make	  a	  snapshot	  remarks,	  if	  thy	  have	  of	  course,	  so	  that	  we	  can	  go	  to	  further	  deliberations	  later.	  	  Let	   me	   announce	   very	   important	   news	   to	   all	   peace	   loving	   people	   present	   here	  that	  Eritrea	  and	  Ethiopia	  Peace	  Summit	  has	  been	  successfully	  held	  in	  Asmara	  last	  Sunday	   and	   yesterday.	   Both	   sides	   have	   agreed	   to	   explore	   ways	   and	   means	   in	  joining	   efforts	   to	   maintain	   stability	   and	   ensure	   prosperity	   in	   the	   region.	   This	  agreement	  of	  peace	  is	  a	  significant	  historic	  move	  that	  will	  engulf	  the	  continent	  of	  Africa.	  The	  era	  of	  conflict	  in	  the	  Horn	  of	  Africa	  has	  been	  closed	  and	  a	  new	  era	  of	  peace	   and	   cooperation	   was	   born	   yesterday.	   I	   call	   upon	   all	   peace	   loving	   people,	  Excellences	   and	   Dear	   Colleagues,	   present	   here	   to	   be	   on	   the	   side	   of	   this	   heroic	  history	   and	   never	   against	   -­‐	   be	   it	   overt	   or	   covert	   again.	   The	   passage	   of	   time	  always	  brings	  changes	  and	  it	  is	  necessary	  at	  this	  juncture	  to	  become	  aware	  of	  the	  responsibilities	   this	   new	   chapter	   of	   peace	   entails	   to	   the	   TICAD	   process	   and	  regional	  peace.	  	  Thank	   you	   so	   much	   and	   let	   me	   give	   now	   the	   floor	   to	   Excellencies	   and	   Dear	  Colleagues:	  	  H.E.	  Dr.	  Pierre	  NDZENGUE,	  Ambassador	  Republic	  of	  Cameroon	  (Chair	  of	  TICAD	  Committee	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  H.E.	  Mrs.	  Ndiyoi	  Muliwana	  MUTITI,	  Ambassador	  Republic	  of	  Zambia	  (Chair	  of	  Trade	  and	  Investment	  Committee	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  H.E.	  Mr.	  Solomon.	  K.	  MAINA,	  Ambassador	  Republic	  of	  Kenya	  (Chair	  of	  Media,	  Culture	  and	  Tourism	  Committee	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  H.E.	  Mr.	  Mohamed	  El	  Amine	  BENCHERIF,	  Ambassador	  People's	   Democratic	   Republic	   of	   Algeria	   (Chair	   of	   Science	   and	   Technology	  Committee	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  H.E.	  Mr.	  Mr.	  Silence	  DLOMO,	  Ambassador	  Republic	  of	  South	  Africa	  (Chair	  of	  Africa	  Day	  Committee	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  H.E.	  Mrs.	  Mrs.	  Aya	  THIAM	  DIALLO,	  Ambassador	  Republic	  of	  Mali	  (Treasurer	  of	  ADC)	  	  	  	  2