Handing Foreign Minister Iwaya Policy Recommendations on Japan-Africa Partnerships Ahead of TICAD 9 (1)

On July 25, I met with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to present a set of recommendations on the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) to be held in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, from August 20 to 22.

 

The recommendations highlight ways to tackle contemporary challenges facing Africa, particularly food security and the promotion of a blue economy focused on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, alongside improvements in agricultural production. 

 

They were compiled by The Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), and the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), working in collaboration with experts and specialists on Africa and international development assistance.

 

I told the minister that some African nations facing the ocean have already come to realize the importance of a blue economy, engaging in seaweed aquaculture.

 

SPF President Dr. Atsushi Sunami, who was also at the meeting, said African countries hope to further promote people-to-people exchanges to solidify their partnerships with Japan.

 

Noting that TICAD 9 will be held under the theme of "Co-create Innovative Solutions," Minister Iwaya expressed his gratitude for the recommendations and stated his hope that the conference “will be an opportunity to co-create solutions that contribute to the prosperity of both Japan and Africa, leveraging Japan's technology and expertise, including AI and digital healthcare,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

 

For more than 30 years since the launch of TICAD in 1993, the government of Japan has been leading the conference, co-hosted by the United Nations, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC).

 

Through the TICAD process, Japan aims to further deepen its relations with African countries based on the spirit of supporting African-led development.

(To be continued)