-----------------------------------------------------------

++++TCSF English Newsletter No.11++++ Oct 16, 2007

Viva! Africa: People's Network across Continents
Published by TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF)
http://ticad-csf.net/eng/index.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------

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.
----------- [Index] --------------
1, Feature Stories
- Dialogue between OECD/DAC and Japanese Civil Society
- AU civil society meeting
- Africa-Asia NGO Networking Workshop
- Hideyo Noguchi Prize for Africa
2, Topics of Japan-Africa Relation and Japan's Aid support
3, Activities of Working Groups
- Alert Working Group

------------------------------------------------------
[1] Feature Stories
------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dialogue between OECD/DAC and Japanese Civil Society
- Towards 2008 TICAD and G8 Summit-
Sep 9 in Tokyo
---------------------------------------------------------------------
On September 9, “Dialogue between OECD/DAC and Japanese Civil Society -
Towards 2008 TICAD and G8 Summit” was organised by TCSF with the object
of exchanging information and views towards 2008 TICAD and G8 Summit
between OECD and Japanese civil society. TCSF invited Mr. Richard Carey,
Director of DAC Secretariat (OECD), Mr. David Batt, Director of Africa
Partnership Forum Support Unit (OECD) and Ms. Ida Mc Donnell,
Coordinator of Informal Network of Development Communicators,
Development Centre (OECD).

The Activity of Japanese civil society toward TICAD IV was presented by
Prof. Minoru Obayashi, President of TCSF, the one toward G8 summit was
presented by Prof. Masaaki Ohashi, Vice Chair of 2008 G8 Summit NGO
Forum. The dialogue started with how the Japanese civil society to
handle Africa Partnership Forum (APF) together with TICAD and G8. It
went on the relationship between OECD and APF, APF and NEPAD, and the
theme toward TICAD IV and G8 Summit. The participants also talked about
their view of Japanese ODA.

The dialogue helped the Japanese civil society be strengthened to
influence the agenda of both conferences of 2008 and the process toward
them. For meaningful TICAD, G8 Summit and the realization of Paris
Declaration, it was confirmed that more communication and cooperation
between OECD and Japanese civil society were important.

-----------------------------------------------------
AU civil society meeting
June 19th-21st, Ghana
-----------------------------------------------------
In June, Ms. Yoshida of TCSF, an overseas liaison officer attended the
AU civil society meeting in Accra, Ghana. A number of CSO events had
been organized in parallel with the African Union Summit on "United
Government" for Africa.

One of such meetings was AU-CSO Pre-summit Forum which Ms. Yoshida
attended as an observer. It was held by CIDO (African Citizen
Directorate), a secretariat of ECOSOCC (Economic, Social and Cultural
Council). ECOSOCC is the AU organization with the object of
incorporating voices of citizens into AU decision-making process. The
participants discussed about a present situation around AU and united
government for Africa. The forum made a proposal paper which was later
presented at the AU summit.

Ms. Yoshida reported that the Africa civil society was very dynamic and
the Japanese government and civil society should recognize the remarkable
ability of the African CSO and the expanse of their network. It was
also recognized that the African CSO as a true development partner and
the partnership between Japanese and African CSOs need to be strengthen
further.

-----------------------------------------------------
Africa-Asia NGO Networking Workshop
Sep 17th-18th in Nairobi, Sep 24th-25th in Tokyo
-----------------------------------------------------
For many Japanese citizens and civil society, Africa is still a far away
place. For many, it is still a continent of unknown and or a place to
safari, the land of Lion King. However, as Japan will be hosting the
TICAD IV in Yokohama and the G8 Summit in Toyako next year in 2008, we
are slowly seeing the build-up of attention and awareness. This might be
due to a heightened awareness of global citizenship or because of
increased media coverage of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
and the above-mentioned international conferences or perhaps due to the
increasing number of Japanese citizens and NGOs (someone close is going
to work/live in Africa!) involved in cooperation with Africa. In this
context, JICA has, for the first time, decided to sponsor two
Africa-Asia NGO workshops in Nairobi and Tokyo to support the
development of NGO partnerships and an Africa-Asia NGO network by first,
listening to the voices raised by African civil society towards TICAD IV.

The Nairobi workshop was held on September 17-18th in Kenya's capital
Nairobi, with the participation of approximately 30 African NGOs, 2
Asian NGOs, 3 Japanese NGOs from Japan, 5 Japanese NGOs working in Kenya,
JICA-NGO desk officers in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Ethiopia,
the Embassy of Japan in Kenya as well as the JICA Kenya office. The main
objectives were to
1. Build and strengthen a network between African NGOs and
Asian including Japanese NGOs
2. Strengthen advocacy efforts of African civil society towards TICAD IV
The Tokyo workshop will be held approximately 1 month after
the Africa-Asia NGO network Nairobi workshop
on the 24th to the 26th of October. Its objectives are as follows;

1. Widely share the results of the Nairobi workshop with Japanese
NGOs and citizens and to create an opportunity for Japanese civil
society to learn about the issues African civil society face, directly
from African civil society
2. To promote an Africa-Asia NGO network
3. To create an opportunity for African and Japanese NGOs to
strengthen relations

For more information on the statements, programs and
participants of both workshops can be found at :
http://www.ticad-csf.net/blog/AAngo

------------------------------------------------------
Hideyo Noguchi Prize for Africa
------------------------------------------------------
The Japanese Government has established the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
in July 2006 to award individuals with outstanding achievements in the
field of medical research and medical services. The prize aims to
encourage the fight against diseases in Africa, thus contributing to the
health and welfare of people.

The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize was established in honour of Dr. Hideyo
Noguchi, a pioneering Japanese bacteriologist of legendary stature who
died after contracting yellow fever in Accra, Ghana, in 1928.

The first award of the prize -consisting of a citation, a medal and an
honorarium of 100 million yen (US$843,668)- will be announced at TICAD IV.
The award will be made every five years to coincide with TICAD.

For further information, please see
http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/prize.html
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-noguchiafrica/index.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------
[2] Topics of Japan-Africa Relation and Japan's Aid support
---------------------------------------------------------------------

1st Oct
Statement by Press Secretary /Director-General for Press and
Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on
the Attack on the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2007/10/1175627_836.html

28th Sep
Address by H.E. Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan,
at the 62nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/un/state0709.html

21st Sep
Emergency Assistance to the Republic of Uganda for Flood Disaster
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2007/9/1175565_834.html

18th Sep
Emergency Assistance to the Republic of Ghana for Flood Disaster
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2007/9/1175490_834.html

Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Run-off Presidential Election
in the Republic of Sierra Leone
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2007/9/1175452_834.html

14th Sep
Tokyo African Club (TAC) Meeting
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2007/9/1175458_834.html

1st Aug
The first ministerial meeting of the Japanese Government on TICAD IV
For the past meetings related to TICAD, please see
http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad/index.html

-----------------------------------------------------------
[3] Activities of Working Groups
-----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------
* Alert Working Group *
-----------------------------------
The Alert Working Group published the 9th volume of the quarterly
magazine, "Africa Alert News" this month. The digest version in Japanese
and English will be available from our website soon.

Our Alert Blog Site has been regularly updated with selections of the
latest news from Africa. Please take a minute of your time to check our
English blog site! →http://www.ticad-csf.net/index.htm


---------------------------------------------------------------------
*TCSF operates an English mailing list for facilitating communication
between TCSF and African CSOs and among African CSOs. If your address is
not on the list and wish to join, please contact TCSF
office@ticad-csf.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TICAD Civil Society Forum (TCSF)
http://ticad-csf.net/eng/index.htm
news@ticad-csf.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------