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++++ TCSF English Newsletter Extra ++++ September 7, 2007

Viva! Africa: People's Network across Continents
Published by TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF)
http://ticad-csf.net/eng/index.htm
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Dear colleagues,
Our English newsletter contains information about TCSF's Activities
and Japanese aid support toward Africa. We hope to strengthen our
network with you by sharing information about our activities.
Thank you.

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On August 10, 2007, TCSF released a position paper towards TICAD and
2008 G8 summit. Here we send an abstract of the position paper.

The full text of the paper is downloadable from TCSF website.
http://www.ticad-csf.net/eng/index.htm

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*TCSF Position Paper towards TICAD and 2008 G8 summit 2008 (Abstract)*
-Now is the time to bring ownership of the development of Africa back to
Africa and its Civil Society and create a new partnership with them -
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July 7, 2007 was the halfway point for the target year (2015) of the UN
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were adopted in 2000. However,
there seems no relief in sight for any of the goals and nearly 40% of
the people are still struggling with extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan
African countries .

The world are now focusing their attention on "2008 Japan" because the
G8 Summit will be held in Toyako, Japan in June 2008, and the 4th Tokyo
International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) will be held
in Yokohama, Japan, a month prior. TSCF should send a message to the
world concerning what the Japanese government, Japanese citizens and the
world ought to do in order to improve the current conditions in Africa.

In addition, we believe that the African countries and African citizens
should play a central role in African development, should listen to the
opinions of the African citizens, and should declare their support for
efforts being made by African citizens.

Therefore TCSF recommends following four points.

Recommendation 1. African citizens should be the main beneficiary of ODA
for Africa by the Japanese government

Recommendation 2. The ownership for the development of Africa should be
returned to Africa

Recommendation 3. African citizens should play the major role in African
development

Recommendation 4. TICAD IV should be made as an opportunity to reflect
the opinion of African citizens and to design practical measures for
poverty reduction and elimination of inequality in Africa.

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*TCSF Recommendation "Commitment of the Japanese government at TICAD
IV"
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TCSF recommends the Japanese Government commit to the following in TICAD
IV and play leading role in the international society in reinforcing the
support for Africa during 2008 G8 summit.

1. Achieve the target of spending an ODA/GNI ratio of 0.7% by 2013 (when
the next TICAD will be held)

2. Implement faithfully the commitments already made on ODA

3. Improve the quality of ODA and quadruple aid to Africa by the next
TICAD

4. Maintain the ratio of grant aid at 3/4 or higher of the total aid to
Africa

5. Facilitate participation of the citizens in the debt reduction
process

6. Adopt "New Africa-Japan Partnership Declaration"

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*TCSF recommendations on what TICAD ought to be
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We believe that the following suggestions should be considered to
improve and regenerate TICAD:

1. To officially accept participation of African and Japanese civil
societies to TICAD

2. To transform TICAD into an African Union (AU) development forum

3. To redefine the objective and function of TICAD

4. To set up an independent and permanent secretariat for the new
process of the development forum

5. To hold TICAD not only in the Tokyo metropolitan area, but also in
other local government areas

TCSF strongly appeals regeneration of the function of TICAD, in order to
enhance mutual understanding and solidarity between the citizens of
Africa and Japan and to realize "the development of Africa by Africans
for Africans".

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●For the full text of the position paper, please see TCSF website.
http://www.ticad-csf.net/eng/index.htm

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