To review the ongoing bilateral development cooperation and exchange views on its future directions, a Ninth Annual Country-Based Bilateral Policy Dialogue took place between the Governments of Japan and Ethiopia, on 23 August 2011. The Japanese delegation was headed by H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia while the Ethiopian side was headed by H.E. Ato Ahmed Shide, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

First and foremost, H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino took a moment to express his heart-felt appreciation to the Government and people of Ethiopia for their deep concern, solidarity and generous donation of 5.4 million ETB for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. The solidarity shown by Ethiopia encouraged the Japanese people. He also said that in Japan, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts are underway and have registered impressive progress. In spite of these difficulties, he assured the meeting that Japan will remain firm to its TICAD IV commitment to support African development, underlining the unchanged commitment to Ethiopia.  

H.E. Mr. Ambassador continued by saying that Japan understands that the GTP is a blue-print for development and is ready to hear about the assessment of the first year of its implementation. With the adoption of the GTP, Japan has been reviewing its ODA policy towards Ethiopia so that it can support Ethiopia in the Plan, with particular emphasis on agriculture and rural development as well as industrial development. For the first time, the Deputy-Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan attended the Policy Dialogue, reflecting the importance Japan attaches to supporting the implementation of the GTP. 

His Excellency also noted that currently a large amount of ODA is flowing into Ethiopia. Japan is proud of its unique role in its continued support for industrial development through policy dialogue, sharing knowledge and experience, and the Kaizen Initiative. Kaizen is being applied to improve quality and productivity in manufacturing. Engagement in mathematics and science at junior and high schools as well as training for teachers and administrators in regional education bureaux is the second unique role of Japan. The third role is Japan’s grassroots and human security projects (GGP) in various sectors, which directly benefit many residents in rural areas.   

     H.E. Mr. Ambassador went on to say that Japan understands that about 12 million people in the Horn of Africa are suffering from food shortages due to the worst drought to have hit East Africa in the past six decades, coupled with the continued armed conflict in Somalia. To avert a massive catastrophe in human lives, the Japanese Government disbursed five million USD to WFP last month so that emergency food supplies could be made available to the drought and famine victims in the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia. With this disbursement, Japan’s contribution to the entire Horn of Africa for humanitarian assistance now amounts to 98 million USD since the beginning of this year. In view of the scale and seriousness of the disaster underway, Tokyo continues to examine the possibility of extending additional humanitarian assistance in the near future.

Finally, H.E. Mr. Kishino expressed his wish that the Bilateral Policy Dialogue would be inclusive and participatory, and would deepen mutual understanding of the development cooperation and partnership.