Delegates at the fifth Tokyo International Conference ended deliberations in Yokohama with a joined declaration and an empirical action plan.
The 39 Heads of State and Governments including Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General, Jim Yong Kim, World Bank Group President , Helen Clark, Chair of the UN Development
Group and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, left the fifth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), Monday, June 03 with a common determination to work “hand in hand with a more dynamic Africa” and to accelerate growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Two main umbrella decisions emerged from the Yokohama confab, a declaration and a pragmatic action plan that will stretch from 2013 through 2017. The discussions that went for three consecutive days running, ending most of the time late in the evening, saw delegates agreeing to embrace the challenges of African development by strengthening economic bases of development through infrastructure and human resource enhancement, economic diversification and promotion of broad-based and private sector-led growth.
The declaration, code-named, “Yokohama Declaration” identifies key strategic approaches to be implemented within the TICAD process. The said approaches are underpinned by the overarching principles of supporting Africa’s own efforts, especially those adopted by the African Union, mainstreaming women by focusing on well spelt out initiatives, increasing opportunities for youths by supporting AU action plan on employment and poverty alleviation and promoting human security.
In effect, six main themes will guide the implementation of the TICAD process within the next five years. These specifically include: promotion of private sector growth, accelerating infrastructure development especially energy, transport and water; empowering farmers as mainstream economic actors, promoting sustainable and resilient growth, creating inclusive society for growth and consolidating peace stability and good governance.
Japan’s Aid Package to Cameroon
TICAD V was yet another occasion for Japan and Cameroon to deepen their economic and diplomatic cooperation. A meeting between Fumio Kishida, Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, and personal representative of the Cameroon Head of State to TICAD V, produced palpable results among which was the announcement by Japan of a multibillion non-project grant-aid to Cameroon. Discussions between the two officials were brief but intensive. After briefing the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs on the potential sectors of investment in Cameroon, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi who was accompanied by Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Minister of External Relations and other Cameroonian officials, underscored the measures government has taken to improve the investment climate and promote investment in the country.
Minister Kishida on his part welcomed Cameroon’s efforts and introduced Japan’s decision this year to provide Cameroon with a non-project grant-aid of over FCFA 4 billion and technical cooperation for promoting small and medium-size enterprises in the country. Japan continues to support Cameroon’s efforts on socioeconomic development and forest resource management, he said. The two ministers equally reviewed various bilateral exchanges such as the ongoing exchange between Cameroon and Nakatsue, one of the villages in Japan’s Oita prefecture since the 2002 World Cup. In conclusion, both exchanged views on cooperation in the international arena including the development of Africa.
