The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
JAPAN has invited Zimbabwean firms to attend the seventh edition of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD7) in the Asian country to be held later this month where they will scout for potential investment and business partnerships.
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), launched in 1993 and initially focused on development issues, is now transforming its concept.
More attention is now towards economic issues, especially private companies’ investment, as a key to sustainable growth and development for African countries.
As a Japanese government-related organisation, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is mandated to boost trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world, including African countries.
JETRO is expected to play more important roles, responding to TICAD’s transformation to a more economy-oriented platform.
In a statement, TICAD7 said more than 150 companies and organisations will exhibit to contribute to the continuous growth of Africa.
African countries will also have an opportunity to exhibit their latest business environment to introduce for Japanese participants.
The opportunity comes at a time when the country has embarked on an engagement and re-engagement foreign policy in an endeavour to reintegrate into the international community as well as enhancing investment opportunities for local industries.
