TICAD7 Conference on African Development Summit in Yokohama, Japan
President Uhuru Kenyatta joined other Africa Heads of State and Government at the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development Summit (TICAD7) in Yokohama, Japan. He is accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Foreign Affairs Monica Juma, Education CS Prof. George Magoha, Transport and Housing Infrastructure, Urban Development CS James Macharia, Health CS Sicily Kariuki and National Treasury and Planning CS Amb. Ukur Yatani Kanacho. This year’s TICAD7 summit is focused on ‘Advancing Africa’s Development through People, Technology and Innovation’.
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is held every three years to review progress in the implementation of TICAD projects across Africa. Kenya was the first African country to host the TICAD VI conference outside Japan in 2016 in Nairobi. The TICAD process is a development partnership between Japan, Africa and international partners.
Kenya is privilege to host four side events during the conference that are crucial to her developed programme. She will host: The Blue Economy co-hosted with Japan and UNDP, Diaspora side event organized with IOM, Kenya Business forum, and the Buildup side event on the upcoming International Conference on Population and Development ICPD25. In a recent interview Cabinet Secretary Foreign Affairs Amb Monica Juma said Kenya focus is on optimizing the resources available in Japan for the delivery of the Big 4 agenda in agriculture, affordable housing, universal health care and manufacturing.
“We will be negotiating to access opportunities in terms of resources in terms of investment portfolios that Japan has to offer within the framework of TICAD” — Cabinet Secretary Foreign Affairs Amb Monica Juma
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) started in 1993 and has been serving as a pioneering multilateral forum for international cooperation on African development. It is a unique process that has contributed remarkably to Africa’s development and regional integration agenda. The forum promotes synergy with strong communication among Africa, Japan and the international community and values the sense of equality and mutual benefit, based on the principle of African ownership and international partnership. Over the last 25- years engagements between Africa and Japan has deepened under the TICAD process where the issue of ownership of the process by the Africans themselves became more pertinent in the interest of sustainability and inclusivity.
Leaders attending the summit this year will evaluate the status of implementation of TICAD VI, and consider new challenges and emerging issues to African development, while show-casing available opportunities and avenues for investment that can anchor sustainable development and partnerships for Agenda 2063 mainly in tourism, energy, innovation, science and technology, and quality infrastructure to support inter-regional connectivity that can facilitate seamless flow of goods, services and people.
Africa through the African Union will be showcasing the opportunities provided by the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects, the advancement of agriculture and industrialization systems, as well women and youth empowerment programs.
TICAD VII Conference is planned within three pillars: Accelerating economic transformation and improving environment through innovation and private sector engagement, Deepening Sustainable and Resilient Society; and Peace and stability, fundamental prerequisites for social-economic development.
The Summit will adopt the Yokohama Declaration and Action Plan, whose implementation will focus on Africa’s key areas including Capacity Building, STI, health and nutrition security, technology and innovation, industrial investment, trade promotion, quality infrastructure, green and sustainable development, poverty reduction and peace and stability.
