Beyond TICAD Diplomacy: Japan's Africa Policy and African Initiatives in Conflict Response

Abstract

One of the significance of the Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD II) in 1998 was its expression of great concern in conflicts undermining Africa's efforts to pursue sustainable development. TICAD II also affirmed necessary strong commitment among countries to strengthen African structures and capacities for conflict response. This paper examines Japan's foreign policy in supporting the efforts of African regional and subregional organisations for conflict prevention, management and resolution, with the focus on its relationship with the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The author proposes Japan to go beyond the diplomacy of economic cooperation and adopt a security-oriented approach to support African initiatives in conflict response.