[Spotlight: Africa]Interview with Benin Ambassador, Mr Adechoubou, on the Japanese-African ties
As regions around the world continue to globalize, the AYF program stands as an opportunity for all of its Fellows to collaborate and learn from each other to build a strong network for their future careers.
- Category: #Interview #Awaji #International Relations #Spotlight
- Interview date: Oct 23rd, 2018
- Writer: David Kpondehou
① What do you consider to be the significance of a program like the AYF for enhancing grassroots diplomacy between Awaji Island and African nations such as Benin?
Mr. Nambu’s vision of bringing young people from all over the World to Awajishima is a wonderful idea as it creates a cultural brew of AYF fellows and Awaji local communities. By promoting the development of effective relationships for social change, this program contributes to the enhancement of the grassroots diplomacy between Africa and Japan as well. For Benin, Awaji Youth Federation is an opportunity to bring two communities, which have already some cultural similarities, closer to each other. It is also an occasion to build mutual benefit projects and sustainable partnership with Awaji Island, which would allow Japanese people to have better knowledge and sufficient understanding of Africa.
② Do you have any recommendations or advice for African fellows within AYF program?
As regions around the world continue to globalize, the AYF program stands as an opportunity for all of its Fellows to collaborate and learn from each other to build a strong network for their future careers. As the next generation of leaders, African fellows should consider their participation in AYF as an expansion of their countries’ diplomacy, and take action in delivering the potential of Africa to Japanese communities. Also, through learning about Japanese values and culture, they should consider their experiences on Awaji Island as a model which they can take back to their home countries. By doing this, these fellows will act as a bridge for building business relationships between Japan and Africa.
