平和構築委員会（PBC）リベリア国別会合における水田公使参事官ステートメント

Thank you, Madam Chair, for convening this meeting. I also appreciate all the briefers, particularly Minister Kemayah and Minister Saydee-Tarre, for their insights. I would also like to join others to commend Liberia’s great efforts in incorporating women in its peacebuilding efforts, and promoting peace and stability through democratic process. As someone who actually worked in the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), I am pleased to observe further progresses made over the past years.
 
Madam Chair, I wish you a most fruitful trip to Liberia and look forward to hearing from you about the situation on the ground. In particular, as you are visiting Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire, I would be interested in hearing any update on the situation in the border area, which has historically been fragile.   
 
Here I would like to highlight three points. First is the importance of consolidating democracy. Democracy will bring long-term stability through equal participation of women and men as well as youth and minority groups in public domain. This was reiterated by many participants at the TICAD Ministerial Meeting held in March this year. Japan will continue to assist Liberia and other African countries to this end, including through supporting their efforts to conduct transparent elections and to build strengthen institutions.
 
Second, investing in “people”, particularly women, for their capacity-building is critical. In this belief, Japan has been focusing on human resource development, as manifested in Japan’s grant aid of 3.6 million USD, which has contributed to empowering women in the fishery and rice cultivation sectors in Liberia, in collaboration with FAO.

Third, it is important to address economic disparities and promote active engagement of women, youth, and minority groups in economic activities, and we believe that promotion of regional integration is key, as seen in the African Continental Free Trade Area. The steady progress of such economic alignment can create jobs and increase income. Japan will also continue working to promote economic growth in Africa through TICAD 8, aligned with the African vision stated in AU Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, including Goal 5 of gender equality.

To conclude, let me reassure you of Japan’s continued commitment to supporting Liberia.
 
I thank you.