8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development to begin

Today marks the start of the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).

Launched in 1993, the conference aims to lay the foundation for an African post-pandemic economic recovery through various development projects. The event is co-hosted by the Japanese government in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), African Union and World Bank. African development is especially pertinent as the continent has suffered gnawing economic decline in the past two years, entering a recession after thirty years of consistent growth.

In the long-term, the UNDP is likely to continue working with the Japanese government to promote projects that bolster socioeconomic growth across Africa.

Expect heavy focus on reinforcing peacekeeping operations and the promotion of humanitarian security to facilitate development. These efforts will likely target the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has seen an increase in violence between rebel forces and the central government. However, conflict may mount as peacekeeping forces were recently forced to withdraw from the city of Butembo in response to local uprisings. Regarding the economy, the Japanese government has placed greater emphasis on fostering partnership between public and private sector, as well as advocating for ecological sustainability practices.