The peculiarities of Japan’s ODA and the implications for African development

Introduction Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in 2013 with the following comment:

Through TICAD, Japan has consistently promoted the importance of selfhelp and self-reliance. The TICAD concept also places an unwavering emphasis on growth. The idea that poverty can be overcome through growth is something that has been axiomatic for Japanese right from the start. It is also because we never doubted Africa’s potential.