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"New Visions of Africa" Italy and Japan join forces for the Continent

Africa: "New Visions of Africa" for Italy and Japan

Tokyo - The international conference entitled New Visions of Africa - Africa, Italy and Japan was held at the prestigious Sophia University in Tokyo. Organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, by Rissho Kosei-kai and by Sophia University, with the support of the Italian and Japanese Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the aim of the initiative is to enrich and deepen dialog and collaboration between the two G7 Countries for Africa and with Africa. Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Mitsunari Okamoto attended on behalf of the Japanese Government. 
    The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was represented by its Ambassador in Tokyo, Giorgio Starace and Director General for Global Issues, Massimo Gaiani from Rome. During the conference, several speeches were made by leading personalities who had traveled from Africa specifically for the occasion. These included: the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Central Africa, Charles Dubane; Olabisi Dare, Head of Humanitarian Section of the African Union; Hon. Samia Nkrumah, Member of Parliament of Ghana and president of Kwame Nkrumah Center; Pacem Kawonga, activist of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Malawi. According to the Italian Ambassador, Giorgio Starace, this is "An extraordinary first occasion, one that is innovative in its method and in its offering, through which qualified representatives of the two civil societies, Italy and Japan, can bring to the attention of the general public the main African issues of the future".
    "This is an initiative we have been working on for some time, in close collaboration and contact with the African diplomatic community in Tokyo and with Gaimusho, driven by the valuable experience and synergies accrued between Italy and Japan during the recent G7 presidencies and the Summits in Ise-Shima (2016) and Taormina (2017)", Starace said. Director General Massimo Gaiani emphasized the opportunities offered by the African continent but also the many challenges that need to be tackled and the solution to which Italy and Japan can contribute towards more effectively if they join forces and work synergistically alongside African countries.