Cairo, Egypt – CCCPA, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have entered a new phase of cooperation. Signed on 1 April 2020, the new agreement marks the sixth phase of the project “Consolidating Peace, Security and Stability in Africa”, initially launched in 2009.
Upon signing the project document, H.E. Ambassador Lamia Mekhaimar, Director of International Cooperation for Development, hailed the contribution of the project to advancing the implementation of the outcomes and recommendations of both the 2019 TICAD Summit in Yokohama, Japan, and the inaugural meeting of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Aswan, Egypt. She welcomed the expansion of Egyptian-Japanese joint efforts in addressing persistent and emerging threats, challenges and risks to peace, security and sustainable development in Africa.
On his part, H.E. Masaki Noke, Ambassador of Japan to the Arab Republic of Egypt reaffirmed that Japan’s continuous support to CCCPA since 2008 shows how much CCCPA plays a significant role in consolidating and enhancing peace, security and stability in Africa with tangible outcomes. He stressed that CCCPA’s activities go in congruence with Japan’s New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), which consists of two major pillars: (1) respect for Africa’s ownership in conflict resolution, and (2) measures against root causes that hamper peace and security in Africa.
The Ambassador added that Japan recognizes that Egypt has been a proactive driver in enhancing peace, security and stability in Africa, not to mention its tremendous efforts and success in 2019 as the AU chair, the co-chair of TICADVII and the originator of the Aswan Forum, and expressed his hope that Egypt and Japan can do more in building peace in the African continent.
Ms. Randa Aboul-Hosn, Resident Representative of UNDP Egypt highlighted the valued partnership with the Governments of Egypt and Japan, and acknowledged Egypt’s leading role and commitment to the sustaining peace and security agenda in the region, as well as the remarkable work during the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, held in December 2019. She also confirmed that UNDP will continue to support this successful partnership.
CCCPA’s Director General, Ashraf Swelam expressed his appreciation to the Government of Japan and UNDP for their continuous support to the Center, including Japan’s support--as the first Strategic Partner of the 2020 Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, currently scheduled for December.
CCCPA continues to be at the forefront of regional efforts to build Arab and African capacities in conflict prevention and resolution, as well as peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The project will also contribute to developing and advancing new approaches to preventing radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism, and conducting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in asymmetric environments.
