2025

A worker operates a cutting machine, creating sparks, while four observers watch attentively.

Tokyo International Conference on African Development

JAPAN FUNDED PROJECTS

The Government of Japan, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa, is furthering transformative initiatives that address Africa’s most pressing needs, harnessing Africa’s innovative potential, and contributing directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This page provides a comprehensive overview of Japan-funded projects from 2025 to 2026, highlighting efforts in the promotion of social cohesion, livelihood support, financing for development, UN Peacekeeping Operations training, and transparent institution building. A cross-cutting focus on women, youth, and security reflects Japan’s leadership in empowering underserved members of the African community as key players in the continent’s peace and development landscape.

The upcoming TICAD9 summit in August 2025 will serve as a central platform to strengthen Japan-Africa cooperation within the TICAD framework, focusing on sustainable development, peace, and stability in alignment with the SDGs.

Japan funded projects reinforce Japan and Africa’s shared commitment to co-creating a future of opportunity, innovation, and resilience, through TICAD’s unique partnership model in fostering African ownership in its development and addressing global challenges.

Projects

French versions are provided below, after the English version.
(Les versions françaises sont proposées ci-dessous, après la version anglaise.)

54 AFRICAN UNION STATE

African Young Women Leaders (AfYWL) Fellowship Programme (UNDP-AUC Joint Programme)

Africa faces a deepening youth unemployment crisis, with rates surpassing 60% in some countries, while persistent gender disparities further marginalize women in leadership and economic participation.

Strengthen Training Capacity for EIFORCES Peace Support Operations in Central Africa

Cameroon continues to be negatively impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency and the heightened activity of the ISWAP faction around the Lake Chad basin.

Support to Local Elections in the Central African Republic

The successful conduct of local elections will be a pivotal post-conflict and democratic consolidation milestone for CAR, ending the electoral cycle that began with the 2020 presidential and legislative elections, which were expected to be closed with the local polls.

Supporting Community-Based Reintegration in the Casamance Region in Sénégal

Casamance, a region of southern Sénégal rich in agricultural, pastoral, fishery, and forestry resources, faces
major challenges, including alarming poverty rates (51.1% in Ziguinchor and 64.4% in Sédhiou) and the aftermath of a long-standing armed conflict.

Conflict Prevention and Promotion of Democratic Participation of Women and Vulnerable Populations in Côte d’Ivoire

In Côte d’Ivoire, the democratic landscape faces significant challenges, including low civic engagement, limited political representation of women, weak institutional capacities, and the growing potential for contentious political discourse.

Rapid Response and Integrated Support for Returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Displacement Affected Communities

In May 2024, the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray Interim Administration announced a decision to return 690,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their communities of origin in Tigray.

Introduction of an E-Voucher Solution for Relief Distribution in Crisis Recovery Projects in Conflict Affected Areas of Northern Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s northern region is facing a complex post-conflict internal displacement challenge, placing immense strain on already vulnerable communities.

Project for Promoting the Accountable, Effective, and Inclusive Justice Sector

Gabon’s justice sector faces deep-rooted structural challenges, including slow procedures, widespread corruption, outdated infrastructure, limited human resources, lack of independence, and low accessibility.

Promoting Trade and Investment in Africa through Stronger Sovereign Credit Ratings

African countries face high borrowing costs and limited access to affordable financing due to suboptimal sovereign credit ratings, driven by perceived risks, inadequate technical capacity, and data gaps.

Guinea-Bissau Health Equity and Sanitation Project (GNB-HESP)

In Guinea-Bissau, over 74.5% of healthcare expenses are paid out-of-pocket, making essential services inaccessible for many. To address this, GNB-HESP will conduct market research and diagnostics to design a health insurance model.

Prevention Facility for the Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea region is facing a growing range of interlinked threats, including violent extremism, transnational organized crime, piracy, illicit trafficking, political instability, and climate-related conflicts.

Strengthening Capacity for Peace and Security, Maritime and Disaster Risk Management in Kenya (IPSTC)

Kenya reduced poverty from 46.6% in 2006 to 36.1% in 2019, but high youth unemployment fuels radicalization, extremism, and conflict. Despite economic gains, weak institutional capacity hampers disaster response, while the maritime sector faces threats like terrorism and piracy.

Strengthening Women’s and Youth Participation and Voter Registration in the Electoral Process in Madagascar

Madagascar is at a pivotal moment of demographic change and democratic reform. With over 60% of the population under 24 and women comprising half of all citizens, the potential for inclusive political participation remains largely untapped.

Stabilization as a Multisectoral Response to Displaced Women and Youths in Central Mali (Bandiagara)

Mali is a polycrisis context. The country is suffering from protracted conflict, severe humanitarian needs, including large-scale displacement, insecurity, and the impact of climate change.

Enhancing Sustainability in the Textile Sector in Mali through Private Sector Partnerships

Malian cotton has experienced weak value addition and integration into global markets. Manufacturers face several challenges, including environmental degradation from traditional dyeing practices and poor health and safety conditions for women dyers.

Sustainable Finance Taxonomies in African Countries

Sustainable finance for African countries is greatly needed to ensure they are resilient to global and regional challenges
and to develop them into green economies of the future.

Towards a Smarter, More Sustainable and Inclusive Agriculture through Private Sector Partnership

Agriculture plays a vital role in Sénégal's economy, contributing around 15% of GDP in 2023 and employing 78.2% of the workforce across 906,638 agricultural households, primarily in rural areas.

Supporting Community-Based Reintegration in the Casamance Region in Sénégal

Casamance, a region of southern Sénégal rich in agricultural, pastoral, fishery, and forestry resources, faces major challenges, including alarming poverty rates (51.1% in Ziguinchor and 64.4% in Sédhiou) and the aftermath of a long-standing armed conflict.

Leveraging Agri-Tech and AI for Sustainable Agricultural and Export Development in South Africa

South Africa currently faces a set of several complex environmental as well as economic challenges in the agricultural sector that hider productivity and sustainability.

Strengthening Resilience & Stability and Creating an Enabling Environment for Inclusive Participation in the Electoral Process

South Sudan continues to face profound development challenges, with progress in peacebuilding undermined by recurring inter-state conflicts and climate-induced displacement.

Enhancing Maritime Surveillance in Tanzania’s Coastal Waters Amidst the Red Sea Crisis

The Red Sea is a vital trade route linking East Africa to global markets. Escalating attacks by the Houthi militia has disrupted shipping routes, raising costs and causing delays that ripple across African economies.

Support to Capacity Development of the Tanzania Peacekeeping Training Centre

Tanzania faces development challenges that threaten its stability and development. Addressing these issues requires a coordinated effort to enhance peacekeeping capabilities and strengthen governance capacity.

Regeneration of TICAD process and facilitation of TICAD9 organization

UNDP’s Africa Promise highlights structural and underlying barriers constraining social-economic and political transformation including multidimensional inequality challenges, vulnerability to climate-related and natural disasters, and enduring violence in certain regions.

Sparking Investment and Business Partnership through Enhanced African Start-up Ecosystem

Despite a surge in startup activity across Africa, systemic gaps remain in early-stage financing, fragmented ecosystem
coordination, and cross-border scalability.

Capacity-Building for Togo's Peacekeeping Operations Training Center in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Risk Management

The spillover of the security crisis in the Sahel onto coastal countries is severely impacting Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Leveraging UniPods and private sector as Catalysts for Employment Creation in Francophone Africa

This initiative aims to unlock the potential of youth in Francophone Africa by fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation.

Development of Basic Infrastructure in Settlements for Displaced Persons and Their Host Communities

Zambia’s resettlement schemes (Meheba and Mayukwayukwa) host 42,475 forcibly displaced persons and vulnerable host communities.

Building Resilience and Enhancing Food Security of Drought-Affected Smallholder Farmers

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing the adverse effects of a severe El Niño-induced drought, which has led to extensive crop failure, livestock losses, and water scarcity.

LES 54 ÉTATS MEMBRES DE L’UNION AFRICAIN

Programme conjoint PNUD-CUA pour les jeunes femmes leaders africaines (AfYWL)

L’Afrique est confrontée à une crise croissante du chômage des jeunes, avec des taux supérieurs à 60 % dans certains pays, tandis que les disparités persistantes entre les sexes marginalisent davantage les femmes dans les postes de direction et la participation à la vie économique.

Tokyo International Conference on African Development

JAPAN FUNDED PROJECTS

2025

54 AFRICAN UNION STATE

African Young Women Leaders (AfYWL) Fellowship Programme (UNDP-AUC Joint Programme)

CAMEROON

Strengthen Training Capacity for EIFORCES Peace Support Operations in Central Africa

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)

Support to Local Elections in the Central African Republic

SÉNÉGAL

Supporting Community-Based Reintegration in the Casamance Region in Sénégal

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Conflict Prevention and Promotion of Democratic Participation of Women and Vulnerable Populations in Côte d’Ivoire

ETHIOPIA

Rapid Response and Integrated Support for Returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Displacement Affected Communities

ETHIOPIA

Introduction of an E-Voucher Solution for Relief Distribution in Crisis Recovery Projects in Conflict Affected Areas of Northern Ethiopia

GABON

Project for Promoting the Accountable, Effective, and Inclusive Justice Sector

Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya

Promoting Trade and Investment in Africa through Stronger Sovereign Credit Ratings

GUINEA BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau Health Equity and Sanitation Project (GNB-HESP)

Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo

Prevention Facility for the Gulf of Guinea

KENYA

Strengthening Capacity for Peace and Security, Maritime and Disaster Risk Management in Kenya (IPSTC)

MADAGASCAR

Strengthening Women’s and Youth Participation and Voter Registration in the Electoral Process in Madagascar

MALI

Stabilization as a Multisectoral Response to Displaced Women and Youths in Central Mali (Bandiagara)

MALI

Enhancing Sustainability in the Textile Sector in Mali through Private Sector Partnerships

Nigeria and Rwanda

Sustainable Finance Taxonomies in African Countries

SÉNÉGAL

Towards a Smarter, More Sustainable and Inclusive Agriculture through Private Sector Partnership

SÉNÉGAL

Supporting Community-Based Reintegration in the Casamance Region in Sénégal

SOUTH AFRICA

Leveraging Agri-Tech and AI for Sustainable Agricultural and Export Development in South Africa

SOUTH SUDAN

Strengthening Resilience & Stability and Creating an Enabling Environment for Inclusive Participation in the Electoral Process

TANZANIA

Enhancing Maritime Surveillance in Tanzania’s Coastal Waters Amidst the Red Sea Crisis

TANZANIA

Support to Capacity Development of the Tanzania Peacekeeping Training Centre

CONTINENT WIDE

Regeneration of TICAD process and facilitation of TICAD9 organization

Pan-African (with focus on Rwanda, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Nigeria)

Sparking Investment and Business Partnership through Enhanced African Start-up Ecosystem

TOGO

Capacity-Building for Togo's Peacekeeping Operations Training Center in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Risk Management

Côte d'Ivoire, Sénégal, Mali, Benin, Guinea, Mauritania, Togo

Leveraging UniPods and private sector as Catalysts for Employment Creation in Francophone Africa

ZAMBIA

Development of Basic Infrastructure in Settlements for Displaced Persons and Their Host Communities

ZIMBABWE

Building Resilience and Enhancing Food Security of Drought-Affected Smallholder Farmers

Versions françaises

LES 54 ÉTATS MEMBRES DE L’UNION AFRICAIN

Programme conjoint PNUD-CUA pour les jeunes femmes leaders africaines (AfYWL)

CAMEROUN

Renforcement des capacités de formation pour les opérations de soutien à la paix de l’EIFORCES en Afrique centrale

RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE (RCA)

Appui aux élections locales en République centrafricaine

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Prévention des conflits et promotion de la participation démocratique des femmes et des populations vulnérables en Côte d’Ivoire

ÉTHIOPIE

Mise en place de bons électroniques pour distribuer l’aide humanitaire dans le cadre de projets de relèvement après une crise dans les régions touchées par le conflit dans le nord de l’Éthiopie

ÉTHIOPIE

Intervention rapide et soutien intégré aux personnes déplacées à l’intérieur du pays et aux communautés touchées par les déplacements

GABON

Promouvoir un secteur judiciaire redevable, efficace et inclusif au Gabon

Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya

Promouvoir le commerce et l’investissement en Afrique grâce à des notations de crédit souveraines plus solides

GUINÉE-BISSAU

Projet pour l’équité en matière de santé et l’assainissement en Guinée-Bissau (GNB-HESP)

Burkina Faso, Bénin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, et Togo

Facilité de prévention pour le golfe de Guinée