Africa will be on the minds of many in August as Japan hosts the seventh annual Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The two-day forum to be held in Yokohama at the end of the month will be an opportunity to discuss not only development assistance to Africa but also partnerships between international organizations, nonprofits and governments to encourage more investments to the continent. One of the biggest issues, though, will not be about international cooperation but rather increasing competition with China that goes far beyond seeking natural resources.
Still, as TICAD expands and deepens Japan's interests in Africa, the conference should also highlight what lessons African countries can offer to industrialized countries when it comes to overcoming comparative disadvantages and demonstrating the power of leadership.
Rwanda would without doubt be high on the list of nations that can offer much food for thought when it comes to economic policy. Since the genocide of 1994 when over 1 million people were slaughtered in 100 days, the country has succeeded in becoming one of Africa's most stable and prosperous nations, and less dependant on foreign aid each year.