Nationality: Japanese

Date of Birth: 1944

Bio
Masafumi is a Research Advisor at the International Development Center of Japan (IDCJ), a Japanese non-profit development think tank with a remarkable 50-year history. He also holds the position of Professor Emeritus at Hiroshima University and serves as a Visiting Fellow at Future Africa Institute at the University of Pretoria. Masafumi has a broad academic background, ranging from programme evaluation and educational development to sustainable development studies. His extensive experience includes previous roles with the United Nations and a private Japanese foundation. Additionally, he has served as faculty at Hiroshima University, International Christian University, the University of Tokyo and the United Nations University. Current interests include Africa’s sustainable industrialisation and Next Generation Exchange between Asia and Africa.

Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA)

ESDA is an inter-university collaboration project initiated by the United Nations University, in collaboration with eight African universities – including UCT in South Africa. Its goal: to develop professional capacity for promoting sustainable development in Africa. Currently, the project offers three Master’s Programmes (with field-oriented, problem-solving approaches) namely (1) Sustainable Rural Development (2) Urban Township Development and (3) Mining and Mineral Resources Development. To date, 55 students have graduated and are now employed in government, industry and civil society organisations, or pursuing advanced studies.

In response to Africa’s growing interest in promoting industrialisation, ESDA is exploring the possibility of adding a fourth area of professional capacity building, namely Entrepreneurship Development for Sustainable Industrialisation. In this regard, the project is looking to collaborate with the ‘Cheetah Generation’ of entrepreneurs – individuals who are agile, tech savvy and risk-takers.

The Africa-Asia Business Partnership Forum Project is an extension of ESDA, aiming to harness the creative and innovative potential of African and Asian entrepreneurs to develop cooperative concepts, collaborative schemes and real joint ventures.

If successful, the forum project will be expanded to encompass Africa and Asia at large