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High-Level Event - Financing Opportunities for EU-Japan Business Cooperation in Africa

The event is organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Japan, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation and the EU-Japan Connectivity Partnership Programme.

The event will focus on Africa, where ODA projects are dominant but where more proactive participation from the private sector is needed. The objective is to explore how EU and Japanese financing instruments can be used to support the private sector's initiatives in Africa.

The event will mainly cover three business areas - energy, transport and critical raw materials - which are key for EU-Japan cooperation with African partners. A certain number of projects are already under public initiatives or about to be launched, and the participation of the private sector will be critical for their success. The event will also showcase existing success stories between EU and Japanese companies in Africa and with African partners to share best practices with the audience.

General information

Date: Thursday, 19 October 2023

Time: 9 - 11 AM (CET) | 4 - 6 PM (JST) followed by a networking reception and individual meetings until 7 PM (JST) for onsite participants.

Languages: English and Japanese (simultaneous interpretation will be provided)

Hybrid event: onsite in Tokyo and online

Venue: Delegation of the European Union to Japan, Europa House, 4-6-28 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047

Onsite registration here

Online registration (Zoom) here

 

Agenda

9:00 - 9:10 (CET) | 16:00 - 16:10 (JST) - Opening remarks

  • Haitze SIEMERS, Deputy Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Japan

9:10 - 9:50 (CET) | 16:10 - 16:50 (JST) - Public financing opportunities in Japan and the EU

This session will introduce the main public infrastructure development priorities and financing opportunities available to EU and Japanese companies in Africa.

  • Motohiro MATSUMURA, Director, Division of Planning and TICAD Process at Africa Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
  • Peter HANDLEY, Head of Unit DG GROW, European Commission
  • More speakers to be announced soon.

9:50 - 10:20 (CET) | 16:50 - 17:20 (JST) - Panel discussion on financial cooperation in Africa

In this session, representatives from private associations, public entities and financing organisations will discuss the main hurdles to be overcome and the way forward.

  • Antonin CALZAROSSA, Senior Investment Officer, Private Sector Team, European Investment Bank (EIB) - online
  • Ben AKABAYASHI, Director General for New Energy and Power Finance Department 1, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
  • More speakers to be announced soon.

10:20 - 10:50 (CET) | 17:20 - 17:50 (JST) Success stories by the private sector

This session will feature companies cooperating and/or jointly investing in projects in Africa.
Moderated by: Florence ARNU, Project Manager, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

  • Vincent DUFOUR, Senior Vice President & General Representative, EDF Japan & South Korea
  • More speakers to be announced soon.

10:50 - 10:55 (CET) | 17:50 - 17:55 (JST) Closing remarks

  • Manuel HUBERT, Managing Director EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

17:55 - 18:00 (JST) Commemorative picture (onsite only)

18:00 - 19:00 (JST) Networking reception / individual meetings between companies and financing organisations (onsite only)

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the EU-Japan Centre at EJ3A[at]eu-japan.or.jp

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OVERVIEW
04:00 pm - 06:00 pm
Delegation of the European Union to Japan, Europa House, 4-6-28 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047
How to join?

Onsite registration here

Online registration (Zoom) here