The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is a Summit-level international conference on African development initiated by Japan in 1993. The high-level event brings together Heads of State and Government from Africa, Japan, the United Nations and the World Bank to engage in dialogue on issues related to economic growth, trade and investment, sustainable development, human security, and peace and stability in Africa.

The conference is co-organized by the Government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, the World Bank and the African Union Commission

TICAD 8 come as a critical juncture in Africa’s development trajectory as a series of overlapping crises, including the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent’s economic growth, climate change and current geopolitical tensions threaten to erode many of the development gains achieved by in recent years. This is extremely concerning given that the continent was witnessing remarkable progress in economic growth and human development in recent years. This year, over half of African countries were categorized as high- or middle-income, and the continent’s return on foreign direct investment was 11.4 per cent, well above the global average of 7.1 per cent.

Discussions at TICAD 8 will focus on three themes: achieving sustainable and inclusive growth with reduced economic inequalities; realizing a sustainable and resilient society based on human security; and building sustainable peace and stability through supporting Africa’s own efforts.

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