AbimbolaAkosile
The Government of Mozambique is billed to host a Ministerial Meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) between Thursday, August 24 and Friday, August 25 in Maputo, Mozambique, to assess commitments to advance African development.
Co-organised by the Government of Japan, the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission and the World Bank, the 12th Ministerial Meeting under the TICAD process takes place a year after the landmark TICAD VI Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, according to release issued in New York and made available to THISDAY by Mr. LamineBai of the UNDP.
The Nairobi Declaration and the Nairobi Implementation Plan adopted on 29 August 2016, outlined actions to be taken by Africa and its partners to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Building on the forum’s twin principle of African ownership and international cooperation, TICAD stakeholders are expected to discuss the state and prospect of the continent’s development, including achievements, opportunities, risks and challenges in realising the outcomes of TICAD VI, and ensure that the implementation of the Nairobi Implementation Plan keeps Africa on a firm path to achieving sustainable inclusive growth.
Highlights of the two-day gathering will include the presentation the TICAD VI Progress Reports by the co-organisers, as well as two plenary sessions on the Economic Transformation for Africa’s Growth and Promoting Human Security and Resilient Society.
Also planned are two dedicated UNDP side events. On August 24 (today) UNDP will unveil the findings of a groundbreaking study on income inequality trends in sub-Saharan Africa. The next day, a UNDP-led panel will discuss approaches to reversing the growing threat of violent extremism on the continent.
The two side events are a prelude to the upcoming New York presentation of Journey to Extremism in Africa Drivers, Incentives and the Tipping Point for Recruitment, an investigative study on the lure of violent extremism and its recruitment dynamics (on September 7); and to the global launch of Income Inequality Trends in sub-Saharan Africa: Divergence, Determinants, and Consequences on September 21 during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.
Expected participants at the Maputo meeting include President of the Republic Mozambique, H.E. Felipe Jacinto Nyusi; Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan; H.E. Taro Kono; Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Republic of Mozambique, H.E. OldemiroJúlio Marques Baloi; Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Guinea, H.E. Ms. MakaléCamara; UNDP Assistant Administrator, Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, Mr. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, and the United Nations Special Adviser (a.i.) for Africa, Mr. David Mehdi Hamam.
TICAD was launched in 1993 to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners. Meetings are led by Japan and co-organised by the United Nations, UNDP, the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC).
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