The second periodic consultation between MoFA and NGOs on TICAD
The Minutes
○Date/Time: 20/July/2007 (Friday) (15:00-17:00)
○Location: 1st Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, 3rd bldg (West Waseda Building), Waseda Univ.
○Participating Organizations (Participants)
MoFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)：
•Mr. Osamu SAKASHITA, Director, Second Africa Division
•Mr. Yoshimasa TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Arica Division
•Mr. Daisuke SATO, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, Chief for TICAD side-events, First Africa Division
•Ms. Kousuke AMIYA, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, Second Africa Division
•Mr. Yasutaka KURIBAYASHI, Second Africa Division
•Mr. Masahiro HORIUCHI, Senior Advisor, Aid Policy Planning Division, International Cooperation Bureau
TNnet affiliated organizations：
•Africa Japan Forum (AJF)
•Africa Reconciliation Committee
•Africa-Rikai Project
•Oxfam Japan
•CARE International Japan
•Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR JAPAN)
•Plan Japan
•RESULT Japan
•HUNGER FREE WORLD
•Hottokenai Sekai no Mazushisa (Don't Let It Be - World Poverty)
•ADRA Japan
•World Vision Japan
•World Clean Project
•TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF)
Observer organizations：
•Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP)
•AFRIC Africa
•Ex-Volunteer Association for Architects
•ADEO Japan
Observer International Agencies：
•Mr. Shinji NAGASE Liaison Officer, UNV（UN Volunteers）
•Mr. Kojiro NAKAI, Donor Relations Officer, WFP Office in Japan
•Ms. Harumi HIGASHIYAMA, Voluntary Assistant, WFP Office in Japan
Yokohama City Ｏｆｆｉｃｅ
•Mr. Junichi URUSHIBARA, Section Manager, 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters
•Mr. Kozo HAYASHISHITA, Section Manager, 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters
•Ms. Rumi KAWAUE, 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters
Chairperson：Prof. Kazuo KURODA, Waseda University Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies
【Program :Prof. Kazuo KURODA, Waseda University Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies】
(1) Opening remarks
(2) Review and confirmation of schedule for TICAD IV
■Schedule confirmation
TICAD conferences and accompanying activities in 2007-2008
■Details of TICAD regional meetings and participation of civil society
■Principles and the three major pillars of TICAD IV
■Introduction of relationships between TICAD and G8 Summit
■Dialogues
(3) October Symposium
(4) Campaigns for TICAD IV (African Festa 2008 and “Japan-Africa Exchange Year”)
(5) Dialogue
Distributed documents：
①The day’s program
②TICAD IV (MoFA)
③TICAD IV accompanying activities (draft) (MoFA)
④Briefing on TNnet activities“Civil TICAD” in 27th of October, 2007
Schedule of periodic consultations between MoFA and NGOs on TICAD
⑤Minutes of The first periodic consultation between MoFA and NGOs on TICAD
(1) Opening Remarks
1. Opening remarks Mr. Minoru Obayashi, President of TCSF
•Each sector is getting well organized for TICAD. We hope that public-private partnership will increase momentum for the preparation of TICAD (IV) in 2008. Your active involvement in today’s discussion is much welcome.
2. Opening remarks by•Mr. Osamu Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division
•Second Africa Division is responsible for the entire TICAD initiatives. In addition, this division is responsible for the relationship between Japan and each of Eastern and Southern African countries. In MoFA, we support TICAD together with divisions such as International Cooperation Bureau, which is responsible for ODA activities.
•(Mr. Sakashita apologizes that he needs to leave at the end of (3).)
(2) Information sharing for TICAD IV
■Schedule confirmation
【Chair: Prof. Kuroda】
(Requests for briefing of conferences and activities including their names and dates)
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
•Three sessions/conferences are currently scheduled from fall to next spring, lead by Japanese Government, for TICAD preparation in Africa. At first, we are planning to hold two regional preparatory sessions this fall. We will update you with the details of location and schedule in one or two weeks (Notes: scheduling is delayed and not declared yet (MoFA)). We are also discussing with TICAD joint-hosts and African countries.
•First session (regional preparatory session): At the end of October. In Southern Africa. For Eastern and Southern countries.
•Second session (regional preparatory session): In Northern Africa. For Northern countries.
Before each of these two sessions, we would like to hold a meeting for the discussion between Japanese Government and related international parties.
•Third session: General Meeting with all the participants from the entire Africa.
•After TICAD in May, next year, G8 summit will be held in Toyako, Hokkaido. Japan’s Prime Minister Mr. Abe has announced that G8 summit agendas include “Africa” and “Environment Problems”, and we can expect that “Africa” will be one of the main agendas for G8.
■Details of TICAD regional sessions and participation of civil society
【Chair: Prof. Kuroda】
(Asked for the comments of MoFA on the participation of civil society in regional sessions.)
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
•We also see the importance of the participation of civil society in some form, but we have not determined detailed scheme for it yet. We are going to discuss it with joint-hosts and participants from African countries.
■Principles and three major pillars of TICAD IV
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
Regarding frequency of TICAD
•In 1993, after the termination of Cold War, TICAD was initiated by Japan, supported by heightened interest in international relationships. International organizations such as UN and World Bank were joint-hosts with Japan, and at the beginning it was supposed to be held every 5 years.
•In TICAD III, Mr. Koizumi, Japanese prime minister at that time, announced that TICAD would be held continuously, and then four meetings including Cabinet-level sessions were held in Africa.
•One of the characteristics of TICAD is its effort to focus on the ownership by African countries, the base on which international society is trying to build partnerships.
Participants of TICAD IV
•The venue is Pacifico Yokohama. In TICAD III, about 1,000 people participated, including 23 heads of the African countries and AU commission chairman who came over to Japan. We expect more heads for the next session in 2008. We invite all the 52 African countries and hope that more than 23 heads would come to participate.
Details of Discussions, Emphasized Topics
•In Africa, we currently see positive changes from the political point of view, and also not a few countries have achieved real economic growth of 5-6% per annum.. If such a trend continues, it may lead to the reduction of poverty in Africa and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the next TICAD (IV), we would like to discuss how to sustain these growth conditions as the first high-priority topic.
•In addition, we would like to hold a slogan “toward genkina (vibrant) Africa” as one of the themes to inspire more people to begin to have interest in TICAD.
Topic Details
①The most important and high-priority objective is to achieve accelerating and sustainable economic growth. Other objectives such as reduction of poverty and MDGs can hardly be achieved without economic growth, so we could say economic growth is “the necessary condition,” even if not “the sufficient condition.”
②The second high-priority objective is “Human Security” centered around MDGs accomplishment.
③Environmental problems including changing climate are becoming an urgent issue recently. Considering the fact that Africa is considered as the most vulnerable continent to climate changes, it is required to take countermeasures for this issue.
We are also discussing about the connection with G8, and PR scheme and related activities. We will hold the award ceremony for the first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize during the period of TICAD.
■Dialogue
【Oxfam Japan Mr.Yamada】
Q1. One of the documents from MoFA says that G8 and TICAD will “organically” liaise with each other. What does it mean exactly? Will TICAD outcome be reflected to an agenda “Africa” of G8? Or will G8 has its own agenda?
Q2. How will MDGs be positioned and treated in TICAD? Will it be one of the main subjects?
Q3. Regarding climate change problems whose financial resources mechanism was mentioned by Japan's Prime Minister Mr. Abe, we expect that it will be one of the emphasized topics. Is there possibility to establish guidelines based on MDGs in case that environmental and climate changes will be more focused?
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
A1. Although we have defined the framework of TICAD, the details are not finally determined and will be prepared from now on. In the process of preparation, we will consider what the leads of African nations regard the most important, and how to respond and support to it. There is no clear borderline between the agenda of TICAD and the one of G8, and they will works very closely.
A2./3. You don’t need to worry so much about the case that climate changes would become the main topics, and would take focus away from MDGs. It’s true that climate change issues are currently watched closely, but we also expect that MDGs will be also discussed enough considering the fact that 2008 is the intermediate year of MDGs and that there is an air of crisis on the difficulties of MDGs accomplishment in Africa countries.
【Oxfam Japan Mr.Yamada】
Request:
While one of the TICAD themes is to achieve “GENKINA (vibrant) Africa”, currently in Africa Civil Society itself is very “genki (vibrant)” and is strongly asking governments and donors how much MDGs accomplishment will be achieved. If you announce that TICAD will work closely with G8, TICAD will also be required to be responsible for the achievement of the commitments such as Gleneagles G8 commitments.
While we agree that the countermeasures to climate change problems will not essentially conflict with MDGs, we are still concerned with the possible case where these two subjects would conflict with each other if financial resources for climate change problems are discussed without confirmation and execution of the commitments to MDGs, which also depends on TICAD/G8 agendas.
【Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) Ms. Nishida (Observer) 】
Q1. What do you expect exactly as the fruits of TICAD? Do you have anything planned such as Tokyo Declaration on African Development by TICAD in 2003 or some action plan?
Q2. Regarding preparatory sessions, what will be the process to define declarations and action plans? Is there any possibility for organizations such as implementation NGOs to join in the sessions and make some proposals as counterparts?
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
A1./2. Regarding TICAD sessions which begin with regional preparatory sessions, we are preparing by consulting TICAD joint-hosts and African ambassadors to Japan. We will continue to discuss on preparatory sessions in that way. We agree that we should take civil society’s opinions and requests into consideration, and we are willing to receive them. However, we cannot commit that we will accept them all due to the contents and time constraints too, so it would be helpful if you could prepare your input, considering such constraints.
【TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Mr. Obayashi】
Request:
First, from the next periodic consultation between MoFA and NGOs on TICAD, we, NGOs are planning to summarize our comments and requests in advance so that we can receive the answers to them from MoFA which can be the clear output from this activity.
We have been requesting the participation of civil society to TICAD since TICAD I, but it is not officially approved. Here “Civil Society” means both Japan’s Civil Society and Africa’s Civil Society. We believe that the participation of Africa’s Civil Society, who is the main interested party for TICAD, is mandatory for the success of TICAD. We also regard it valuable to have some input from Japan’s Civil Society through its participation, which may lead to the growing interest in TICAD from Japanese people.
Q1. Currently, we are discussing over the agendas of TICAD IV and planning to summarize the agendas which NGOs would like to suggest. May I ask how the three major pillars of TICAD IV were defined?
Q2. Regional meetings had been called “Regional sessions” in the past TICADs, but for TICAD IV they are called “regional preparatory sessions.” Is there any difference? Is there any difference in TOR?
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
A1./2. There is no single defined way on how to prepare the agendas, but the sessions will be held just aiming at the success of TICAD next year. For example, UN General Assembly will be held in September, and we are planning to activate some discussion for TICAD there, because UNGA is a good opportunity to exchange opinions with various people such as government officials and officers. Besides such unofficial discussion, we will also hold sessions. For the first regional preparatory meeting in October, senior officials and ambassadors responsible for TICAD to lead discussions because it is not feasible to call on ministers and we don’t see a necessity of their attendance for such meetings either. This is the scheme for the regional preparatory sessions to be held for Southern and Northern African countries. Ministers and vice ministers will be involved in the entire general meeting which will be held in the next February or March.
【TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Dr. Yoshida】
Q1. Do you have a plan to let NGOs be involved in regional preparatory sessions?
Q2. For your comments on close dialogues with NGOs (Civil Society), do you think that it could be achieved well if you will have the participation of African Civil Society for regional preparatory sessions? Considering that in TICAD ministerial meeting held in March, 2007, African NGOs could present their views to the plenary session, do you think of the similar participation of Civil Society to the regional preparatory meetings?
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
A. We are considering taking in the input from Civil Society in some forms, but we have not define the specific scheme for that yet.
(3) October Symposium
【TNnet secretariat, Dr. FUNADA CLASSEN】
For TICAD III, a NGO Network called “ACT2003” held a symposium three months before the TICAD meeting. For TICAD IV, TNnet will hold a symposium on October 27th. For the last symposium, 5 NGOs came to Japan, and UNDP and MoFA carried all the costs related to the symposium.
Q1. Regarding the schedule, we are concerned with the possible schedule conflict between regional preparatory sessions around the end of October and TNnet symposium. How are you going to adjust to avoid the conflict?
Q2. We have heard that UNDP will carry a part of the costs for symposium as a joint-host. Is it possible for MoFA to do the same?
【MoFA Mr. Sakashita, Director, Second Africa Division】
A1. Currently, we are trying to hold regional preparatory session on 30th and 31st of October. The dates are close but not conflicting. We are now discussing with African countries to finally decide. We can tell that the sessions will never be held on 27th because the countries will not be available for that date.
A2. Regarding the costs, we will carry them in some forms. We will continue to adjust.
（４）Campaigns for TICAD IV (African Festa 2008 and “Japan-Africa Exchange Year”)
【MoFA Mr. Sato, Second Africa Division】
Objectives of TICAD IV accompanying activities
•We, the First Africa Division, are responsible for TICAD accompanying activities, and we aim at holding events which can appeal even to the people who do not have special interest in Africa. Some events are already being planned, and we are going to launch PR activities on various media such as TV and magazines, in which we focus on TICAD so that a lot of people will know activities related to Africa.
•Regarding such accompanying activities, there is no event finally fixed yet, but some events are starting to take form. Since TICAD IV will be held in Yokohama, we are coordinating with Yokohama City to plan such events. I understand that our objectives are the same with yours (NGOs’) from the viewpoint of raising interests in Africa, and we hope that we work together in various forms.
Accompanying activities will be held mainly in Yokohama
•We are planning to have main accompanying activities in Yokohama, and, as a part of it, we are thinking of organizing African Festa in Yokohama this year, which has been held in Hibiya every year in the past. We would like to ask for your support and understanding for this. By organizing this event in Yokohama, e.g. around Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, we may have more participation from people who are usually not involved in such activities related to Africa.
【Mr. URUSHIBARA, Section Manager, Yokohama City Office, 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters】
•We, the Yokohama City Office is supporting the organization of TICAD IV. We will have a milestone year in 2009, as the 150th anniversary of Yokohama port opening, and we are glad to have TICAD IV in our city before such a memorial timing.
Venue of African Festa (plan)
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse and the space just across the Shinko Circle Walk Street
•In 2006, we organized the October Fest 2006, a German Beer festival, and there we welcomed 460,000 people for 10 days. We will have some big events to be held in the location. Since this Red Brick Warehouse is a commercial facility, a lot of commercial customers will also visit there regardless of a kind of events, and we could expect such additional visitors to the African Festa.
【Africa Japan Forum (AJF) Mr. Mozumi】
Q. While I personally think it meaningful to hold African Festa in Yokohama, some NGOs are against it. We have previous experiences in having discussion with Second Africa Division regarding location of booths and size of tents in previous Festas. Considering these things, we would like to ask you for a preliminary meeting with NGOs who have joined African Festa and secure the participation of NGOs in the process of African Festa preparation and organization.
【MoFA Mr. Kuribayashi, Second Africa Division】
A. We would like to consider first internally the participation of NGOs in the preliminary sessions for African Festa. Regarding the size and number of tents, we have learned the issues raised in previous events including this year’s through our evaluation meetings, and we are going to improve such points.
【Association for the Cooperation and Rural Self-support in West Africa(CARA)/HUNGER FREE WORLD/ TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Ms. Watase】
Q1. Is there any relationship or cooperation with “African Festival” which will be held by the private sector next April?
Q2. While the budget for African Festa held in Hibiya Park had been around 15 million to 20 million yen, will the budget for African Festa, if held in Yokohama, increased? How are you going to work together with African ambassadors?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
African Festa is managed by Second Africa Division. First Africa Division is responsible for the coordination of TICAD-related accompanying activities.
A1. While African Festa 2008 which will be hosted by MoFA in May, 2008 will use both Red Brick Warehouse buildings and its outdoor open spaces, “2nd African Festival Yokohama” which will be sponsored by MoFA and other African diplomacy corps will use only interior space, and we don’t regard these two events as conflicting each other. We welcome various events which raise awareness of Africa.
【MoFA Mr. Kuribayashi, Second Africa Division】
A2. We don’t expect drastic increase of the budget, but Yokohama City Office will sponsor it as the host city.
【Mr. URUSHIBARA, Section Manager, Yokohama City Office, 150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters】
We cannot say anything clear about the budget at this moment because we’ve just started discussion with MoFA. We would appreciate it if you waiti for a while for the decision. One of the possible ideas is to offer support to build some facilities because there is no facility as Hibiya Park has, but it is still just one of the possible ideas.
【CARE International Japan Mr. Muramatsu】
Request:
As a member of a small NGO which maintains an office in Tokyo, we are concerned that we may not be able to join in the Festa in Yokohama because of additional expenses such as the cost of movement to Yokohama, manpower cost, etc. We would like to ask you to consider how to avoid additional costs for NGOs before the entire budget scheme is finalized.
Q. Could you tell me what is Yokohama’s ability to pull in visitors in general, in addition to the just mentioned example of October Festa? Could you also give me some referential examples of revenue of NGOs in the events joined by NGOs?
【Mr. URUSHIBARA, Section Manager, Yokohama City Office,150th Anniversary of the Port Opening & Creative City Headquarters】
A. We also organize the Yokohama International Festa, which is held in Pacifico Yokohama. Though it is difficult to have an exact comparison because of other parallel events, more than 60 thousands people would visit it for 2 days. We cannot answer to your question on the revenues of NGOs, because we don’t have any figure for it.
【Chair: Prof. Kuroda】
Q. In the previous African Festas, some NGOs who had wanted to join could not join due to exihibition cost and limited number of exhibition groups. What is the perspective on these issues for the next African Festa?
【MoFA Mr. Kuribayashi, Second Africa Division】
A. We cannot promise that all the groups can exhibit due to various constraints, but we will try to figure out in advance how many NGOs would like to join in order to assure enough space to respond to them as much as possible. We think it ideal if all the NGOs, which want to join, can join without exhibition fee, and we would like to try to make an effort to achieve it. We also would like to listen to your comments for that.
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
Request:
We would like to ask you to give your ideas on pre-events before TICAD, with which we can raise people’s interest in Africa largely with our limited budget. We would like to ask for your cooperation and support on this.
【Oxfam Japan Mr.Yamada】
Q. Could you tell us what is the current planning at this moment for a concert and sport event as accompanying activities? We think that you may work together with stakeholders of musician and athletes who will join them. In addition, depending on the contents, NGO might also work together with you in some parts.
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A. Though it is before finalization, our current plan is to invite African musicians for the concert to play with Japanese musicians. We are currently thinking of drummers from South Africa. The budget for it is not fixed yet and currently under discussion.
Regarding the sport event, we would like to organize a soccer match between African team and Japan national team during the period of TICAD. We would like to use it as an opportunity to advertise TICAD to the audiences in the stadium and through TV. Regarding a marathon event, we are thinking of some activities which will be picked up by media, such as drumming along the course which could support Africa.
【ADRA Japan Mr.Arasawa (Observer)】
Q1. Is the photo exhibition that is now being planned by MoFA an exhibition by professional photographers, or a photo competition?
Q2. What is the main concept for this photo exhibition?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A1. We are currently planning a photo exhibition event that includes both professional photo exhibition and amateur photo competition. The event will be composed of multiple exhibitions also including semi-professional photographer exhibition and journalist photographer exhibition. The venue will be Yokohama. Basically, all the activities organized by First Africa Division will be in Yokohama in our current plan.
A2. In addition to photo exhibition, we are trying to organize an event where we will introduce Africa in other forms, e.g. models of land mines, foods, etc, near JICA Yokohama. If you have any idea on such activities, we would like to link our plan to yours in various forms.
【ADEO Japan Ms. Ishida (Observer)】
Q. Regarding your partnership with private companies and NGOs for these activities, is it possible for organizations who want to get involved may join in the planning processes?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A. We would like to ask for your support and involvement in various forms. Events which can be mainly managed by MoFA will be planned and executed by MoFA and Yokohama City. For other small events, basically we would like to assist them as a supporter (Kyosan or Kouen).
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director】
A. In the planning process of accompanying activities, we will organize executive committee. We will also invite TICAD joint-hosts to this committee, and we would like to invite representatives of NGOs to it.
We’ve already contacted Ms. Nagashima from “Africa 2008 Campaign” for it.
【TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Mr. Obayashi】
Request
TCSF has started “Africa 2008 Campaign” (secretariat: TCSF) from this March and communicated it to First Africa Division. We have been also invited from First Africa Division to the executive committee of TICAD joint-hosts. However, “Africa 2008 Campaign” committee and TNnet are different organizations and their members are also different, so we would like to ask you to invite TNnet representatives to TICAD joint-hosts executive committee, too.
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Africa Division】
A. We would like to ask TNnet representatives to join in the committee, too.
【Association for the Cooperation and Rural Self-support in West Africa(CARA)/Hunger Free World/ TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Ms. Watase】
Q1. Is the schedule for the next African Festa finalized?
Q2. Could you please tell me the schedule of accompanying activities if finalized?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A1. We’ve not even finally decided that the venue will be Yokohama, but we are thinking of a weekend in the middle of May for the schedule.
A2. Among other peripheral events, a soccer match and concert are planned to be held during TICAD period. We also plan cinema festival and photo exhibition in May. Basically, we would like to hold Africa-related events intensively in May.
（５）Dialogue
【TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Mr. Obayashi】
Q1. This is a question for International Cooperation Bureau. We have implementation NGOs in this regular meeting, and I think that many of them are interested in whether the financial resources for NGOs in total, especially for Civil Society organizations in Japan and Africa, will be increased. We expect, as a result of TICAD, that NGOs work not just as “contractors” of MoFA, but also that Civil Society plays an important role in international cooperation activities in a suitable form devised to fit into the reality of Africa. Do you see the possibility for such an “evolved” future?
Q2. Before TICAD (IV) next year, APF (Africa Partnership Forum), which is an opportunity for dialogues between African countries and G8, will be held in Japan. As the host country for the next G8, we regard the participation of Civil Society to APF as inevitable. What do you think of it?
【MoFA Mr. HORIUCHI, International Cooperation Bureau】
A. Your points are currently being discussed in our division, but I don’ have the detail information at hand now. I will bring your questions back to our division.
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Africa Division】
A. We, the First Africa Division are responsible for APF. From the schedule point of view, it will be held between TICAD and G8. We expect more than 50 attendees for the forum. We are now discussing day and night how to organize it, including the participation of Civil Society and the connections to G8, but the scheme is not determined yet. We will try to make an effort to have more fruitful results from it than the previous forum in Germany.
【Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) Ms. Nishida (Observer) 】
Q. In past TICADs, South-South Cooperation related to Asia-Africa cooperation had been highlighted, but it was not mentioned in today’s report. Could you please tell me if there is any discussion on it this time?
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Africa Division】
A. Please allow me to answer for International Cooperation Bureau. South-South Cooperation is one of the main pillars of TICAD, and we have seen improvement as a result of the past TICADs. So, we will continue to discuss it in TICAD.
【ADEO Japan Ms. Ishida (Observer)】
Q1. Could you please explain about the details of African cinema festival?
Q2. Do you regard these accompanying activities as “one-time” events only for this TICAD, or as continuous events?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A1. The details of African cinema festival are not determined yet, but we are planning to manage it as a sponsor to an organization who can actually plan it. The venue will be in Yokohama.
A2. While African Festa is a continuous event, other activities are basically side events for TICAD, and we will not plan to hold them every year. They are mainly one-time events only for TICAD next year.
【Africa Japan Forum (AJF) Mr. Saito】
Request:
I think that we can regard increasing visitors to African Festa every year as one of the evidences of establishment of interests in Africa, and with this positive fact, we would like to ask you to plan events which can contribute to this movement further.
Then, we would like to see more “philosophy” in “Japan-Africa Exchange Year”. We expect that you will proceed with clearer vision on how Japan’s aid is aimed to Africa in the current international situation where the stream of international aids is going to Africa.
After TICAD II, African Festa was first planned as a follow-up activity, and at that time elementary schools and junior high-schools in Kanagawa held a class to deepen students’ understanding of Africa, in which there were some opportunities for them to exchange directly with people from Africa. We think that such activities are very useful to deepen understanding of Civil Society, and would like to introduce such schemes to deepen understanding of Africa.
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
A. While we are mainly involved in activities toward TICAD next year to raise awareness of Africa, it does not mean that we will not plan and execute any event after TICAD. We are willing to continue to organize events related to Africa in different forms, but it will be organized differently from the accompanying events currently planned by First Africa Division for TICAD.
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Africa Division】
Regarding “Japan-Africa Exchange Year”, we are also having such activities for multiple countries and regions, e.g. “Indonesia Exchange” year in this year, and for Brazil and Africa next year. In addition, we will have “France 150th anniversary” next year and various events are planned by coordinating with private sectors. From the point of view of Africa, TICAD is the key to foster “Japan-Africa Exchange Year” among such various events. However, Japanese government do not allocate any additional, special budget for such “Exchange Years.” For example, there are only 3 cities which maintain a sister city relationship with African cities. “World Exposition for Global Harmony” held last year organized “Friendship Program” in which every member city had some exchange activities with an African country, and we would like to increase such exchange activities by taking the occasion of “Japan-Africa Exchange Year”. For this, MoFA plans to officially ask for cooperation to such a program.
【World Clean Project Mr. Tanzawa】
Q. Are you thinking of utilizing web sites?
【MoFA Mr. Sato, First Africa Division】
Q. Regarding TICAD, we are submitting information through TICAD official site. Yokohama City, JICA, UNDP, and other organizations will also launch TICAD sites and we will work together by linking each other. Regarding acompanying activities, we would like to announce them through the site as soon as the schedule and details are fixed.
Closing Speeches
【TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF) Mr. Obayashi】
Today, we have more participation from implemental NGOs than before, and we see much interest from them in TICAD and other events and activities. While they may tend to feel that they could not make a good contribution in advocacy activities, such feeling may disappear, and I expect that this regular meeting will lead to their further involvement in advocacy activities and for good changes. I hope that this meeting will evolve and become a place where both government and NGOs will work together for discussion and execution for international cooperation. We, the NGOs, will review policies and reevaluate dialogues with government and discuss about it.
As the last question for today, it is a big discussion how we will proceed further after TICAD. Regarding this topic, Japan’s ex-prime minister Mr. Koizumi said at the end of the previous TICAD that TICAD should be institutionalized. With this comment, we expected that permanent secretariat for TICAD would be organized, but it is not yet realized. What kind of initiative is being taken for this? We think that it is inevitable for this secretariat to have the participation from civil organizations.
【MoFA Mr. TOMINAGA, Senior Deputy Director, First Africa Division】
Both government and NGOs share the same objective from the point of view of raising public interests in Africa, and we should think positively how to build and enhance partnership between you and us. For TICAD accompanying activities managed by First Africa Division, we would like to ask for the participation of NGO representatives in their executive committees.
To answer to the question from Mr. Obayashi, we’ve not discussed on the set up of TICAD secretariat, to our regret, due to difficulties in developing our experiences, caused by frequent human resource rotation within MoFA.
Regarding African Festa next year, we discussed it today with you taking this occasion, before finally deciding the venue, because we wanted to decide it after getting agreement from NGOs. In this way, we would like to continue to ask for your understanding in the processes.