Egypt-Japan Cooperation in the Evolving Strategic Context of Middle East and Asia

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019, the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy of the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in Cairo, have organized a symposium titled "Egypt-Japan Cooperation in the Evolving Strategic Context of Middle East and Asia". The symposium was held in commemoration of AUC's centennial and in the presence of H.E. Nabil Fahmy, former Egyptian foreign minister and dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) and H.E. Amb. Kenichiro Sasae, president, the Japan Institute of International Affairs and former Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, as well as H.E. Masaki Noke, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt.

In the Opening, former minister Nabil Fahmy asserted in his remarks on shifting balance of global power and Asia’s continuously strong economy while witnessing Japan, China and Korea having different “stories” from one another. In his remarks, Amb. Noke pointed out the importance of the seminar at the beginning of 2019, an important year for Japan and Egypt, as Japan will host the G20 summit in June and TICAD7, Tokyo International Conference on African Development, in August, while Egypt, which will soon assume the presidency of the African Union, is expected to deliver the African voice at these conferences. Amb. Sasae made a key note speech on the regional situations of Asia Pacific and comparative analysis of influences of globalization in Asia, Europe and the US, and exchanged views with public audience on the floor.

The symposium was attended by a collection of academics and students in the field of political science and international relations and the members of diplomatic community, in addition to media and professionals.