Attendance to the 9th Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC 2026)
2026/10/26
On 26 October 2026, Mr. KAN Masahiro, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Mauritius, attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC 2026), held at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel in Balaclava and co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), the Pan-African Productivity Association (PAPA), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). As the first AKAC to be held in Mauritius, the conference brought together a wide range of participants, including Mr. Kurreemun, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, SME and Cooperatives (Industry Division), officials of the Government of Mauritius, representatives of the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC), AUDA-NEPAD, PAPA, and JICA, as well as representatives of Kaizen promotion organizations, policymakers, and private sector stakeholders from across Africa.
Under the theme “Sustainable Kaizen for a Competitive and Prosperous Africa,” the conference, which included the Africa Kaizen Award (AKA) ceremony, was held in a hybrid format, both in-person and online, over two days from 26 to 27 October. Discussions focused on environmentally sustainable approaches to quality and productivity improvement, sustainable development, and the enhancement of industrial competitiveness, providing an opportunity to share experiences and best practices in promoting industrial development and strengthening business competitiveness through Kaizen.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Ambassador KAN expressed his appreciation to those working to improve productivity across Africa. He highlighted that Kaizen has long been a cornerstone of Japan’s industrial competitiveness and welcomed the growing adoption of its principles in Mauritius and across the continent. He also reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting the competitiveness of Mauritian enterprises through the sharing of knowledge and experience under JICA’s technical cooperation project.
Under the theme “Sustainable Kaizen for a Competitive and Prosperous Africa,” the conference, which included the Africa Kaizen Award (AKA) ceremony, was held in a hybrid format, both in-person and online, over two days from 26 to 27 October. Discussions focused on environmentally sustainable approaches to quality and productivity improvement, sustainable development, and the enhancement of industrial competitiveness, providing an opportunity to share experiences and best practices in promoting industrial development and strengthening business competitiveness through Kaizen.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Ambassador KAN expressed his appreciation to those working to improve productivity across Africa. He highlighted that Kaizen has long been a cornerstone of Japan’s industrial competitiveness and welcomed the growing adoption of its principles in Mauritius and across the continent. He also reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting the competitiveness of Mauritian enterprises through the sharing of knowledge and experience under JICA’s technical cooperation project.
