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Envoy urges Africa’s ownership of development initiatives

Envoy urges Africa’s ownership of development initiatives
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Fri 04 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT

JAPANESE Ambassador to Zambia Hideto Mitamura has said sustainable development on the African continent can only be attained when African countries are able to exercise ownership of development initiatives and a spirit of self-help.

During the celebration of His Majesty Emperor Akihito's 76th birthday at the Ambassador's residence in Lusaka on Wednesday, Ambassador Mitamura said development programmes cannot be effectively implemented in the absence of good governance, which guarantees participation, and equitable distribution of resources.

He encouraged the Zambian government to proceed with its anti-corruption drive with continued vigour and more robust efforts and thus score more victories in this area.

Ambassador Mitamura said Japan's policy towards Africa which was based on the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process had not changed despite the change of administration but rather had assumed more prominence on Japan's foreign policy.

He said Zambia, which was the leading country for peace, stability and democracy in the southern African region remained an important partner for Japan.
Ambassador Mitamura said despite the world-wide economic crisis which prevailed since the latter part of last year, Japan's development aid assistance to Zambia had increased significantly.

He said Japan had concluded an agreement with the Zambian government for the implementation of the grant aid project for improvement and maintenance of Ndola and Kitwe city roads to be undertaken at a cost of US $27 million.

“This project is particularly significant in that it will enhance the further development of the economic activities taking place in the two cities following the appreciation of the price of copper,” he said.

Ambassador Mitamura also said the World Bank's ranking of Zambia as the 90th most favourable investment destination out of 180 countries in the world was a significant improvement from last year when the country had been ranked 100th.
He said in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia was now ranked the 6th most favourable investment destination out of 46 countries.

Ambassador Mitamura said the Japanese government welcomed the good news for the business sector in Zambia which was attributable to the ëTriangle of Hopeí projects implemented by the government of Japan in cooperation with the Zambian government over the last few years for the purpose of making Zambia attractive for foreign direct investment.

And livestock and fisheries minister Bradford Machila said there could be no doubt that Japanís role in world affairs had increasingly been significant economically, politically and socially.

Labels: AMBASSADOR, DEVELOPMENT, DONORS, HIDETO MITAMURA

posted by MrK @ 4:40 AM