On Thursday, September 25, 2025, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officially announced the termination of its 'Africa Hometown' project. The decision was made after recognizing significant misunderstandings surrounding the project and the heavy administrative and financial burdens it imposed on local governments in participating African countries.

The 'Africa Hometown' project, initiated by JICA, aimed to foster development and strengthen ties between Japan and African communities by supporting local infrastructure and social programs. However, the project faced challenges as local governments reported difficulties in managing the responsibilities and resources required, leading to operational inefficiencies and strained relations.

JICA cited these misunderstandings and the unintended pressure on local administrations as primary reasons for the withdrawal. The agency emphasized that the decision was made to prevent further complications and to reassess approaches for future cooperation that better align with the capacities and needs of local governments.

The announcement was made during a press briefing held at JICA headquarters in Tokyo, where officials expressed regret over the project's discontinuation but underscored the importance of learning from this experience to improve international development efforts.

Local government representatives from the involved African countries had previously communicated concerns about the project's demands, highlighting issues such as insufficient local consultation and the mismatch between project goals and local priorities. These factors contributed to the decision to halt the initiative.

JICA plans to engage in further dialogue with African partners to develop more sustainable and mutually beneficial projects in the future, ensuring clearer communication and better alignment with local capacities.