TOKYO: African heads of state and VIPs from around the world have converged in this Kenyan capital for the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, expected to foster a host of new trade and investment deals.
For the first time since its 1993 inception, the summit — now held every three years — is being held in Africa. It’s an historic occasion, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters here Friday. He said Japan would work hand in hand with Africa to realize the goals set out by the continent’s people, whom he said were strongly promoting themselves.
Japan’s government, along with the World Bank, the United Nations and the African Union, host the TICAD summit. It’s billed as a platform for high-level dialogue on policy. The list of attendees is full of VIPs, including 37 African heads of state and the leaders of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, to name a few. The two-day conference, which concludes Saturday, has drawn approximately 10,000 delegates.
