The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) was established in 1993 by the Government of Japan with the aim of promoting Africa’s development, peace and security through the strengthening of relations in multilateral cooperation and partnership.
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Accompanied by his wife Akie Abe, the Japanese prime minister received a 19-gun salute at State House before inspecting a Kenyan Air Force honor guard.
Japan has pledged $10 billion for infrastructure development in Africa.
On the two-day meeting being held for the first time this year in Africa, rather than Tokyo, Kenyatta said, “Tomorrow we will be welcoming many heads of state and thousands of delegates”.
Abe is using the conference to meet dozens of leaders from across Africa, among them Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and South Africa’s Jacob Zuma.
When combined with the private sector’s investments, the amount could rise to $30 billion, he said.
Japan’s direct investment into Africa has been overshadowed by China, who made a $2 billion single investment to build a hydropower dam in Equatorial Guinea in April, previous year to double the nation’s energy production capacity.
“We laud Japan and the co-organizers for their continued commitment to Africa’s development, on the basis of the twin principles of Africa’s ownership and worldwide partnership”, Kenyatta said.
Deby urged Japan and the worldwide community to contribute to the AU fund for those purposes, set up during the recent summit of the organization in Kigali, Rwanda.
The KICC meeting is meant to assure of Japan’s commitment to supporting development projects in Africa.
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TICAD VI will be hosted by the Government of Kenya and co-organized by the Government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, African Union Commission (AUC) and UN Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (UNOSAA). He said Africa had a right to demand the global community better reflect its views, adding that Africa should send a permanent member to the Security Council by 2023 at the very latest.
