Joint Monitoring Committee of the TICAD Process February 9, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

Embassy of Japan, Washington, DC

February 9, 2009

1. The meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee of the TICAD Process was held on February 9 (Mon) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.  The Committee was chaired by Mr. Yoshitaka Akimoto, Director-General for African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was attended by representatives of the ministries concerned, governmental organizations, TICAD co-organizers (the United Nations, the United Nations Development Program, and the World Bank), the African Union Committee, international organizations, the African Diplomatic Corps, and donor countries.  Mr. Nobuhide Minorikawa, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, also attended the opening session to deliver a speech on the purpose of the Committee and related matters.
 
2. At the Committee meeting, views were actively exchanged on a draft of first “Annual Progress Report,” which carries the progress of the assistance measures for Africa announced at TICAD IV.  On March 20 and 21, a TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting will be held in Botswana.  As the Annual Progress Report will form the basic material for the Ministerial-level discussions, it was agreed that the compilation of the Report should be accelerated.
 
3. The Joint Monitoring Committee agreed on the importance of compiling voices of Africa toward the Second Summit on Financial and World Economy slated for April and exchanged significant views for the success of the Ministerial Meeting.

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