Connecting Japan and Africa with economics, culture and dreams

About AFRECO

In the 1960s, many African countries became independent and tried to be economically self-sufficient by utilizing their abundant natural resources. While they demanded investments and technologies from the other countries, Japan was experiencing rapid economic growth and was attracted by the African great natural resources. Under the circumstances, the Association of African Economic and Development Japan (AFRECO) was established by influential political and financial circles in 1970 to promote economic cooperation among Japan and African countries.
AFRCO is to deepen economic and cultural exchanges, nurture the friendship between African countries and Japan, and contribute to mutual prosperity. AFRECO focuses on cooperating economic activities at the grassroots level and on creating projects in African countries that could have economic impacts on the Japanese government and corporations.

Greetings

The year 2025 is the year of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). The Japanese government will hold it in Yokohama from August 20th to 23rd, and the World Expo will be held in Osaka from April onwards. In addition to the recent increase in the number of tourists visiting Japan, it will be a year when many VIPs from various countries will come to Japan.

AFRECO believes that the first things needed for African development are water and electricity, and we have been working on various projects with our member companies. Recently, we have also launched projects to help improve healthcare in Africa. With the government's and member companies' understanding and support, the medical projects planted at TICAD 8 are beginning to sprout and are likely to bloom. One example is the workshop at TICAD 8, where we transferred the Inoue Balloon Catheter technique to doctors from sub-Saharan Africa with doctors from Tunisia. To set up a center specializing in heart disease, we will be able to start disseminating catheter techniques from next year, using Tunisia as a hub. In addtion, at TICAD 9, AFRECO also hopes to be able to make some proposals or reports in the field of basic and primary education.

When we are born, crying out into the world, we cannot choose where we are born or who we are born to. We just happen to be born here. And yet, some children struggle to eat, cannot learn, and cannot even live in a hygienic environment. The responsibility for this lies with us, the adults.

AFRECO will continue to work hard to help with development by sincerely addressing social issues. We would like your continued understanding and support as we look forward to TICAD 9 next year.

Tetsuro Yano,President of AFRECO