ADDIS ABABA – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Japan yesterday to attend the 7th TICAD (Tokyo International Conference for African Development) summit, after concluding his two days official visit to South Korea, according to state-run medias.
Following Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono’s last May invitation to Abiy to attend and lead the peace and security session at the 7th TICAD, the Premier departed for Japan to attend the summit.
In addition to peace and security issues, this year’s summit center of discussion are expected to be on Economic reform, business as well as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) issues in Africa’s Agenda 2063. The three days summit will be held in Yokohama, Japan until August 30th under the theme “Advancing Africa’s Development through People, Technology and Innovation.”
Meanwhile, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew along with delegates from Ethiopia is holding talks on the African Ministries Summit in Japan on the draft document of Yokohama Declaration, which is expected to be adopted when the summit commences today at Heads of State level.
The TICAD conference that was initiated by Japan in 1990s aims at supporting Africa’s effort to eradicate poverty and backwardness, and focuses on peace and security. The Japanese government hosts the summit in concert with United Nations, United Nations Development Program African Union Commission and World Bank, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 28/2019
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
