Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) - Japan promotes public-private partnership for African development Japan, together with TICAD co-organizers, holds TICAD7 in Yokohama, Japan, from August 28 to 30 this year GABORONE, Botswana, August 8, 2019/APO Group/ -- During the Botswana-Japan Stakeholder Seminar on TICAD Process held on 7 August 2019 at GICC in Gaborone, Ambassador Kozo Takeda reiterated Japan's commitment to developing the unique, transparent and inclusive TICAD framework for African development. TICAD - Tokyo International Conference on African Development is an initiative of Japan that began in 1993 and co-hosted by United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC). Japan, together with TICAD co-organizers, holds TICAD7 in Yokohama, Japan, from August 28 to 30 this year. Toward TICAD7, the private sector representatives of the TICAD7 Public-Private Roundtable submitted their recommendations to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2019. The recommendations highlighted, among others, the following priority areas: (1) Development of quality infrastructure;
(2) Enhancement of public-private partnership for developing human resources;
(3) Development of a framework that can take advantage of small/medium sized and start-up companies, including through innovation. The recommendations concluded by emphasizing the need for the “Model Change of TICAD Process and Enhancement of Public-Private Partnership.” Against this background, business and innovation will be the overriding theme of TICAD7. Ambassador Takeda assured that Japan will take lead in further promoting public-private partnership for African development and both Japan and Botswana could take advantage of dynamism and huge economic potential of Africa. The seminar was attended by, among others, officials and representatives from various Ministries, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), Business Botswana (BB) and civil society, leaders and young entrepreneurs from business community as well as representatives from Embassy of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of Japan in Botswana.