On July 10 and 11, Japan hosted the 5th Japan/Arab League Economic Forum in Tokyo. The event, co-organized by Japan’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.
This year’s event, which focused on the energy and digital sectors, was attended by a large Djiboutian delegation led by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Yonis Ali Guedi, and including our Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Ibrahim Bileh Doualeh, the Chairman of ODDEG’s Board of Directors, Mr. Mohamed Sikieh Kayad, and the Minister’s technical advisor, Mr. Mahdi Waberi Hassan.
Official figures, heads of development agencies (including JICA and JETRO) and hundreds of top executives from major Japanese groups took part in the meeting. The Secretary General of the Arab League, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and numerous Arab ministers and economic operators also attended this important event.
On Thursday July 11, Minister Yonis Ali Guedi took part in a high-level ministerial conference bringing together Japanese and Arab ministerial delegations to discuss ways of revitalizing economic ties between the two parties.
The solemn opening ceremony featured speeches by Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Kamikawa Yoko, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr Seito Ken, and the Secretary General of the Arab League, Mr Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
The head of Japanese diplomacy, Kamikawa Yoko, stated in her speech that “the concept of the Forum is to create synergy between Japan and Arab countries and to move forward together towards prosperity. The aim is to deepen discussions on directions for new economic and trade cooperation on the themes of “Resilient Economic Development” and “Japan-Arab States Sustainable Economic Development”.
The League’s Secretary General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, supported the prospect of enhanced cooperation in the fields of climate change, Artificial Intelligence, education and other segments, which contribute to increasing investment in Arab countries. He hoped that Japan would be an inspiration to Arab countries in the advancement of knowledge.
In a much-appreciated speech, Minister Yonis Ali Guedi presented our country’s economic and energy assets and potential, as well as the progress and major advances made in structural reforms in our country, under the aegis of the President of the Republic, Mr. Ismail Omar Guelleh. The Minister also highlighted the excellence and quality of the multi-faceted relations of friendship and cooperation between our two friendly countries. Finally, Mr. Yonis Ali Guedi called for the necessary deepening of these privileged ties in all areas of socio-economic development, notably in the energy sector, with particular emphasis on the establishment of a strategic Djibouti-Japan partnership in the exploration and development of geothermal energy.
On Wednesday July 10, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the accompanying delegation also took part in a public-private economic and trade conference to promote business cooperation between Japan and Arab countries.
During the conference, panelists debated three relevant themes: expanding mutual investment (economic diversification and collaboration in innovation); joint efforts to combat climate change (through the production of green products, rational water and waste management, and the development of two products considered to be the fuels of the future: green hydrogen and ammonia); and the use of New Technologies (Telecommunications and Artificial Intelligence, etc.) to build a resilient supply chain. ) and the construction of a resilient supply chain.
As Japan and the Arab countries already cooperate in a wide range of fields, including trade, investment, energy, science and technology, and human resources development, these two conferences organized within the framework of the Forum aimed to advance their cooperation by identifying possible new avenues for collaboration. This represents an opportunity for both Japanese and Arab companies to develop their activities. Arab countries are currently tackling economic and industrial diversification, notably through the development of renewable energies to ensure their energy security, and the development of the digital economy, hence the expectation of a deepening of economic ties between Japan and Arab countries. By strengthening their economic diplomacy, Japan and the Arab countries are seeking to revitalize their international influence through this forum.
The Japan-Arab Economic Forum was organized for the first time in 2013, within the framework of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed in 2009 between Japan and the League of Arab States. Held every two years on a rotating basis in either Japan or an Arab country, and attended by Japanese and Arab government officials and businessmen, it provides a framework for dialogue at ministerial level with the aim of strengthening economic relations between the two parties. It includes a public-private economic and trade conference to promote business cooperation between Japan and Arab countries, and a high-level ministerial conference to discuss ways of strengthening economic ties between the two parties. Various parallel events are also taking place, including seminars and excursions, and a business fair (exhibition).