TICAD past meeting
TICAD past meetingThe eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) is set to take place from August 27 to 28, in Tunis, Tunisia, and is expected to advance Japan and African countries cooperation.
The high-level event brings together Heads of State and Government from Africa, Japan, the United Nations and the World Bank to engage in dialogue on issues related to economic growth, trade and investment, sustainable development, human security, and peace and stability in Africa.
The meeting will focus on three themes; achieving sustainable and inclusive growth with reduced economic inequalities; realizing a sustainable and resilient society based on human security, and building sustainable peace and stability through supporting Africa’s own efforts.
The Government of Japan has been leading the conference since 1993, co-hosted by the United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, and African Union Commission (AUC).
TICAD will take place in Africa for the second time after Kenya hosted one in 2016.
The conference provides an open forum that generates innovative discussions among various stakeholders on African development.
Miyashita Tadayuki, Deputy Director-General in the Department of African Affairs in Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs while briefing the media on the meeting recently, said that this year’s conference will have plenary sessions and business forum to be held in person whereas other official side events will be held online.
The business form will focus on how to accelerate Japanese investment in Africa.
“We shall discuss the economy to accelerate the investment; society to build a resilient and sustainable society; peace and stability to support African-led efforts to achieve sustainable peace and stability,” he said.
He added that given the complexity of the international community due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the situation in Ukraine, Japan and African countries will discuss how to create a sustainable world together.
“Japan will set out a pathway for African development looking ahead to the post-COVID-19 era, by highlighting Japan’s strengths which are quality growth and focus on people,” Miyashita explained.
“Japan will also contribute to enhancing the food security in Africa to address the African food crisis which is been deteriorated by the situation in Ukraine,” said Miyashita.
Miyashita said that 54 African countries are expected to attend as well as representatives from Japan, UNDP, Word Bank and AUC.
Ahead of TICAD8, key stakeholders in the continent’s development met in South Africa on June 21 to discuss how to advance Africa’s economic integration to achieve resilient and inclusive socio-economic development and the key was how to promote the implementation of AfCFTA.
During the briefing, Nakamura Kato Ryuichi, Vice-President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said that African ownership will be a key theme of the TICAD8, adding that the idea went hand-in-hand with the concept of human security, the people-focused development principle that guides JICA’s work.
JICA will host 26 online side events during TICAD8 from August 22 to 26.
They will discuss areas that include agriculture, decent work, regional integration, peace, university exchange, climate change, resilient economy, youth and human resources, nutrition, human security, vaccines, private sector, natural resource management, green energy as well as justice.
