COUNTRY PROFILE / JAPAN

Continent: Asia

Official name: Japan

Nature of the regime: Parliamentary monarchy

Head of Federal State: Emperor NARUHITO

Area: 377,000 km²

Currency: Yen

Population (2021, IMF): 125.8 million inhabitants

Capital: Tokyo

Main cities: Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Fukuoka, Kyoto

Official language: Japanese

Agreements and Conventions

As part of its economic cooperation projects, Japan has made available to Cote d’Ivoire, as Official Development Assistance (ODA), non-reimbursable funds for the implementation of economic and social development actions.

The financing granted by Japan since 2010 amounts to 333.387 billion of CFA francs. This contribution comes from the Government of Japan for 22.62% (75.421 billion of CFAF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 77.38%  or 257.966 billion of CFAF  which are divided into grants to the tune of 109.376 billion of CFAF and loans for the realization of structuring projects up to 148.590 billion of CFAF

The main sectors funded are:

• economic and port infrastructure;
• Environment and sustainable development
• agriculture
• Defence and security
• Water and forests
• Peace and social cohesion
• Administrative and territorial governance
• Technical and vocational education
• Animal and fisheries resources

The most important projects under implementation relate to the sectors of environment and sustainable development, agriculture, administrative and territorial governance and peace and social cohesion. They are:

• the Cote d’Ivoire Forest Preservation Program to ensure the integrity, protection and enhancement of Cote d’Ivoire parks and reserves. Japan financing is 7.5 billion of CFAF;
• the project for the promotion of local rice in the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire (PRORIL): it aims to increase the volume of local rice sales in the targeted areas (Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, Abidjan). JICA contribution is 3.7 billion of CFAF;
• the project to strengthen municipalities for social cohesion in greater Abidjan: it aims at human promotion and the consolidation of social peace. JICA contribution is 3.03 billion of CFAF;
• The Human Resources Development Project for the Strengthening of Local Administration in Crisis-Affected Areas: It consists of strengthening the basic service delivery system in the five (05) Districts of the central and northern areas affected by conflict. JICA contribution is $2.976 billion;
• the project to revive continental fish production in Cote d’Ivoire: it consists of providing the necessary technical assistance to aquaculturists through technical training, technology transfers and the structuring of their professional organizations by facilitating their transformation into cooperative societies. JICA's contribution is 2.35 billion of CFAF and the grant agreement was signed on December 22, 2015;
• the project to develop the Ivorian-Japanese Friendship interchange, signed on July 10, 2015 at a cost of 24.3 billion of CFAF;
• the landing stage of Sassandra and central market construction project, the financing of which was signed on November 9, 2016 for an amount of 15.5 billion of CFAF;
• the project to build the grain terminal at the autonomous port of Abidjan for an amount of 10.869 billion Japanese yen, or about 60 billion of CFA francs. The loan agreement was signed on Thursday, March 30, 2017;
• the project for the construction of three (03) interchanges in Cocody (Police Academy, Riviera 3 and Palmeraie) for an amount of 80.7 billion of CFAF signed in February 2019.
• project to support the reinforcement of the equipment of the Regional Academy of Science and Technology of the Sea in Abidjan, signed on December 21, 2015 at a cost of 3.25 billion of CFAF;
• project for the improvement of television programs and equipment for the production of programs of the Ivorian Radio and Television signed on December 31, 2015 for a total cost of 258 million of CFAF

In addition, as part of the Ivorian-Japanese Friendship Exchanger development project, Japan granted, on January 8, 2019 in Abidjan, 25.135 billion of CFAF to Cote d’Ivoire, for the financing of phase 2 of the project. The launch of the works was made on November 25, 2016.

On August 29, 2019 in Yokohama, Cote d’Ivoire and Japan signed an agreement for the establishment of a Toyota vehicle assembly plant in Cote d’Ivoire. In addition, a reciprocal investment protection agreement was signed between the two countries on January 13, 2020.

It should be noted that a Trade Agreement between Cote d’Ivoire and Japan was signed on May 25, 1970.

In addition, on Tuesday, September 06, 2022, as part of the support to agriculture in the north and west of Cote d’Ivoire, Japan and Cote d’Ivoire signed an Agreement on the granting of a grant in the amount of 500 million yen or about 2.4 billion of CFA francs for the supply of tractors and fertilizers for the promotion of mechanization and the improvement of agricultural productivity.

An Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPA) between our two countries was signed in January 2020.

A. The main products exported are: cocoa and its preparations, wood, charcoal and articles of wood, copper.

B. The main imported products are: cars, machinery, mechanical appliances and appliances, clinker, products from the manufacture of pig iron, iron or steel, new rubber tyres, frozen fish

Sources : DGE-DPPSE

Sources : DGE-DPCEI

• The value of bilateral trade remains constant over the period 2021-2022.
• Over the period 2018-2022, the average value of Ivorian exports is estimated at 1.280 billion of CFAF / year against 131.580 billion of CFAF / year for imports.
• Over the period 2018-2022, the trade balance is in deficit for Cote d’Ivoire due to the high import of vehicles.