The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has successfully convened a homecoming presentation session in Accra for Ghanaian government officials who studied in Japan under the “Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship” (JDS).
JICA also organized a seminar titled “Japan’s Diplomacy toward Africa and the Current State of Japanese Corporate Investment,” delivered by Professor SHIRATO Keiichi of Ritsumeikan University as part of its ongoing efforts to deepen Japan–Ghana cooperation.
A Decade of Investing in Ghana’s Human Capital.
Funded by the Government of Japan, the JDS program supports promising young Ghanaian civil servants to pursue graduate degrees in Japan, equipping them with advanced knowledge and practical skills for national development.
Since its launch in Ghana in 2012, the JDS program has produced 143 fellows, many of whom now occupy influential roles across ministries and agencies, contributing to policy development in areas such as Economics, Public Administration, Public Health, and International Relations.
Now in its 14th year in Ghana, the JDS program continues to serve as one of Japan’s flagship human resource development initiatives, fostering leaders who can drive institutional reforms and steer the nation’s development agenda.
A Knowledge Sharing and Results-Oriented Presentations
The homecoming presentation session featured presentations from recently returned JDS alumni, who shared the tangible outcomes of their research and academic experiences in Japan. These officials demonstrated how the insights gained into Japan’s unique modernization and development paradigms are being applied to solve local challenges and enhance public administration in Ghana.
Shifting the Paradigm: From “Aid” to “Co-creation”
In his keynote lecture, Prof. SHIRATO, outlined major global shifts affecting Africa-Japan relations. Drawing on international data, he explained that the world is undergoing rapid multi polarization, while relative economic weight of traditional powers -the United States, Europe, Japan- gradually declining, while emerging economies continue to rise.
At the same time, African countries have moved from being passive aid recipients to active political and economic actors shaping the international system.
Prof. SHIRATO emphasized that Africa’s demographic dynamism—rapid population growth and a young workforce— drives corporate interest, including Japanese firms, and argued that future engagement should shift from a traditional donor–recipient approach to an equal, co‑creative partnership.
He also noted that domestic fiscal pressures and “anti‑aid” public sentiment in developed countries underscore the need for more sustainable, mutually beneficial cooperation models.
Leading the World with Trust: JDS Alumni as the “Bridge”
In his concluding remarks, Prof. SHIRATO sent a powerful message to the JDS alumni that as individuals who deeply understand both Japan and Africa, you are the key to unlocking this Co-creative Partnership.
In line with its vision, “Leading the World with Trust,” JICA remains committed to fostering these “bridges” between the two nations. By empowering Ghanaian officials with both Japanese insights and local expertise, JICA aims to create tangible developmental outcomes and strengthen the economic ties between Japan and Ghana.