JAPAN 28-30 May 2008 Japan, United Nations and other organizations host TICAD IV. A focus on African development

The 2008 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokahama, hosted jointly by the Japanese government, the Global Coalition for Africa (GCA), the United Nations and the World Bank, meets with a focus on African development and environment. TICAD is held every five years. The findings from TICAD IV will feed into the agenda of the G8 summit in Tokyo in July. Japan has chosen African development as one of two main themes for the G8 leaders to discuss.

TICAD IV will take into account the outcomes of the TICAD Ministerial Conference on Energy and Environment for Sustainable Development that took place in Nairobi on 22-23 Mar 2007.

TICAD has evolved into a global framework to facilitate the implementation of initiatives for promoting African development under the dual principles of African "ownership" and international "partnership." At TICAD I, held in 1993, the co-organisers vowed to reverse the decline in development assistance for Africa which had followed the end of the Cold War. Participants adopted the Tokyo Declaration on African Development, committing to the pursuit of political and economic reforms in Africa, increased private sector development, regional co-operation and integration and the harnessing of Asian experience of the benefit of African development.

TICAD II in 1998 renewed the commitment to Africa's development challenges with poverty reduction and integration of Africa into the global economy as a primary theme. The conference culminated in the adoption of the Tokyo Agenda for Action (TAA) which outlined a framework of co-operation and identified shared goals, objectives and guidelines for actions to be taken by Africa and its partners.

TICAD III in 2003 made an explicit commitment to support the African Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development, identifying three major areas for support: i) consolidation of peace, ii) human-centred development and iii) poverty reduction through economic growth. The TICAD 10th Anniversary Declaration was adopted. Aug/07

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TICAD III
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