Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14 June 2016: - The Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) partnered with the Civic Commission for Africa – CCfA, the Japan Citizen Network for TICAD - JCNT and the Kenya government to bring Africa’s Non State Actors to a sensitization and consultation meeting for Tokyo International Conference on Africa's Development (TICAD).
The Tokyo International Conference on Africa's Development started in 1993. For the first time in its 23 years since inception TICAD VI summit will be held in Africa. TICAD VI is scheduled to take place from 27 to 28 August 2016 in Nairobi Kenya.
CIDO, CCFA and JCNT wanted to leverage this opportunity by engaging non state actor to bring the African voice to the TICAD VI.
The two day meeting took place from 9-10 June 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The meeting was attended by Special envoy of the TICAD VI, the representative to the Principle Secretary of the state department of Planning and Statistic, the Head of International Planned Parenthood Federation liaison Office to Ethiopia, ECA and the AU , UNDP Head of TICAD Kenya, Executive director of the African Japan Network, the President of Civic Society of Africa, CIDO, Head of the ECOSOCC Kenya National Chapter, SDG Kenya Forum, PACJA, KANCO, FEMNET in addition representatives of many civil society organizations, private sector and the diaspora.
The meeting culminated in a declaration to TICAD VI. The programme of action comprised of five pillars, Industrialization, Health, Water and Sanitation, Women and Youth, and Social Security.
PILLAR 1. INDUSTRIALISATION
TICAD should work within the framework of African Union’s industrialization policy and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) initiatives on innovation, intellectual property Rights and green industrialization. This should be geared towards ensuring that land tenure policies do not disenfranchise local community in the journey of industrialization. Channeling the right investments to support value addition and create and enhance industries to produce the necessary utensils within the continent.
PILLAR 2. HEALTH
Fulfill the demand to achieve people’s rights to health in Africa, the Government of Japan and other donor countries should prioritize efforts towards realization of universal health coverage and contribute ODA to health. African countries should provide play their role in allocating adequate domestic financing to improve and scale up the capacity to collect gender and age disaggregated data, enhance research on communicable and non-communicable diseases, skills transferability, ensure appropriate TRIPS practices and technology for the improvement of health systems at all levels.
PILLAR 3. WATER & SANITATION
Access to safe and clean water is a paramount human right. TICAD should support Non-State actors’ efforts working on each of the following, building infrastructure, use of technology to identify and facilitate access to safe and clean water, public education and awareness on water management, mapping of water resources, and advocate on existing environmental policies. Discussions should include deliberations on taxes for activities that lead to exploitation of marine resources and on waste management.
PILLAR 4. WOMEN & YOUTH
TICAD-VI focus is on promoting structural economic transformation through diversification, including blue economy, and industrializations is essential to stimulate just, favorable and sustainable employment and Entrepreneurial opportunities especially for youth, women and persons with disabilities. With the increasing significant role of business in facilitating the continents development particularly in promoting innovations, technology transfer-while safeguarding Patent and intellectual Rights of African Indigenous knowledge and technology, it is vital to support youth and women Entrepreneurship. Quality education and requisite skills for youth, persons with disabilities and women must be supported to ensure productive capacities and create jobs to live lives that they value.
PILLAR 5. SOCIAL SECURITY
TICAD VI provides a platform to strengthen & support institutions of governance and eradicate corruption in efforts to enhance judicial and electoral bodies within Africa. This includes empowering civil society organizations through capacity building, identification of good practices to discourage marginalization and overall accountability of commitments within the purview of TICAD. TICAD provides a platform for Japan government to support and share knowledge on how African governments can strengthen social safety nets through social protection systems that encompass the rights of marginalized groups.
The outcome of the meeting will be presented to the TICAD Ministerial Meeting taking place in Banjul, the Gambia from 16-17 June 2016..
EK
For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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