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Sato keen to see `One Stop Border Post` is introduced in Africa
2007-10-04 10:31:36
By Austin Beyadi
Japanese Ambassador in Charge of peace building in Africa, Keitaro Sato has said his country will help African countries to set up “One Stop Border Post” concept that would standardize custom procedures at the border.
Speaking at the Aid for Trade (AFT) meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Sato, who once served as Japan Ambassador to Tanzania, said that to leap the benefits of the trade, developing countries need to enhance the productivity of their products and strengthen its infrastructure.
He said that infrastructure is the basis of active trade and that it is important to ensure the economic growth of entire Africa by developing regional infrastructure.
He said that Japan, in cooperation with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation), engages in identification of regional road network projects of urgent needs.
``While Japan continues to aim at a successful conclusion of the WTO Doha Development Agenda, we will make out steady efforts to realize ``vibrant Africa`` by providing Aid for Trade,`` he said.
He said that international trade plays a pivotal role in contributing to the economic growth of African countries and other developing countries.
He said that donors should give due consideration to the ownership of the recipient country, and provide assistance in a tailored-made manner reflecting the actual needs of each recipient country.
He said that Japan will also help recipient countries to increase their trade and investment in order to support their sustainable development.
``Japan will place emphasis on providing assistance for crucial sectors and infrastructure which is essential for recipient countries to enjoy the benefits of international trade,`` he noted.
Sato said Japan will also actively help developing countries build up institutional capacity to formulate policies and improve regulatory frameworks, and foster their human resources.
More concretely, we will actively contribute to Aid for Trade by steadily implementing our ``Development Initiative for Trade`` launched in December 2005, said Sato.
He said that Japan’s Development Initiative for Trade is a comprehensive package to assist developing countries, which reflects the real needs of their people.
Japan will make ``boosting economic growth in Africa`` as one of the prioritised targets for the country`s focus on African trade development, he said.
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