VP Goodluck Jonathan arrives Japan for Tokyo International Conference on African Dev
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May 27, 2008, 15:59

Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan arrived Japan on Tuesday May 27 at the Head of the Nigerian delegation for the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), being hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, from Wednesday 28th to Friday 30th May, 2008.

Already about 40 African Heads of State have arrived Yokohama, Japan for this year’s summit, which is the largest international conference on African Development.

The forum is expected to discuss and explore opportunities in boosting economic growth, development of infrastructure, promotion of trade and investment, as well as developing agriculture in African countries towards meeting with the millennium development goals and sustainable development.

TICAD has become a major global framework for Asia and Africa to collaborate in promoting Africa's development. The first Tokyo Conference was held in 1993 and it ushered in a continuing process of support for Africa and consensus building around African development priorities. That process was bolstered with a second Tokyo conference in 1998.

TICAD has since evolved into a major global framework to facilitate the implementation of initiatives for promoting African development under the dual principle of African "ownership" and international "partnership". A central feature of this framework is the cooperation between Asia and Africa.

TICAD enjoys the joint support of co-organizers, namely the Government of Japan, the Global Coalition for Africa (GCA), the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (UN-OSAA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank.

Its stakeholders include all African countries and development partners including Asian countries, donor nations, international agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector.

Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is leading the Nigerian delegation, in company of Ministers of National Planning and Commerce and Industry Senator Sanusi Daggash and Engineer Charles Ugwu respectively with other government functionaries and captains of industry from the private sector, are to join delegations from other African countries to discuss issues of security, peace and good governance.

Other members of the Vice President’s entourage are Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, Hon. Minister of State Foreign affairs, Ambassador T. D. Hart Special Adviser to the President Political
(Foreign Affairs), Chief Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Tunji Olagunju SSAP (NEPAD), including Engr. Mustapha Bello of NIPC and Dr. Bello Mohammed, Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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