Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)

TICAD was formalised in 1993 on the initiative of the Government of Japan, with the objective of promoting high-level political dialogue and mobilising support for African development initiatives. TICAD has met at Heads of State and Government level every five years, in Japan, from 1993 to 2013, and in June 2013 agreed to meet every three years, alternating between Africa and Japan. TICAD VI was held in August 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya, the first time the TICAD Summit was held in Africa. The TICAD 7 Summit was held in Yokohama, Japan, in August 2019. The AUC became a full partner of the TICAD process in 2010. TICAD is overseen by a follow-up mechanism, which comprises a three-tier structure of a joint secretariat, joint monitoring committee and follow-up meetings. Each TICAD Summit approves a declaration and an action plan. The TICAD process involves five stakeholders, called co-organisers: the Government of Japan, AUC, UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UNOSAA), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. Formal relations between Africa and the Arab World were launched at the first Africa–Arab Summit, held in Cairo, Egypt, in March 1977. Cooperation was further consolidated at the second Africa–Arab Summit, held in Sirte, Libya, in October 2010. The Libya Summit adopted the Africa–Arab Partnership Strategy and the Joint Africa–Arab Action Plan 2011–16. It also adopted a declaration summarising common positions on major regional and international issues. The partnership strategy outlines four main areas of cooperation: political; economic, trade and financial; agriculture and food security; and socio-cultural. The Joint Action Plan translates the strategy into concrete programmes. The strategy also elaborates implementation follow-up mechanisms, which include the Africa–Arab Summit, Joint Africa–Arab Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Coordination Committee on Africa–Arab Partnership at ministerial and senior officials’ levels. The Joint Africa–Arab Heads of State and Government Summit is held every three years, with ministerial level meetings every 18 months. The Coordination Committee meets annually at ministerial level and every six months at senior officials’ level. Four Africa–Arab Summits have been held, with the most recent one from 17 to 23 November 2016, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The fifth Summit is scheduled to be held in 2019, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.