By Bernama,
Tokyo : Heads of state and/or government, foreign ministers, and other high-rank officials from 86 countries, as well as delegates from more than 70 international and regional organisations will take part in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development that opens later Wednesday in the port city of Yokohama near Tokyo.
Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency reported that during the three days of discussions, the participants will exchange opinions on possible solutions to Africa’s abounding problems, of which poverty, famine, and spread of infectious diseases, desertification, and armed conflicts cause an especially big concern in the international community.
At the end of the conference, the participating delegations plan signing a number of documents, including the Yokohama declaration and a Five-Year Plan of Joint Actions. It is expected, among other things, that the Japanese government will pledge a doubling of its aid and investment in Africa’s development.
Japan hopes that the African countries will reciprocate by supporting its initiatives on fighting with global warming and the willingness to get the seat of a permanent member at the UN Security Council.
The Japanese government pays extensive attention to the strengthening of its diplomacy in African countries and getting access to their natural resources.
In recent years, China has been much more active in these two areas in relations with Africa than Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will hold bilateral meetings with heads of dozens of African countries simultaneously with the conference.