TICAD Delegations

TICAD-I (1993)

TICAD-I discussed strategies for taking steps toward greater African stability and prosperity. This conference produced the "Tokyo Declaration on African Development."

African Countries

Delegations from 48 African nations participated in the conference, including four heads of state:

Donor Countries

Representatives from twelve developed countries participated in the conference. A delegation from what was then known as the Commission of the European Communities was also attended.

Observers (Countries)

Observers from 17 nations were accredited at the conference; and these included:

Observers (NGOs and Others)

Observers from eleven non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others were amongst the participants at this conference, including:

Observers (Japanese Organizations)

Observers from five Japanese organizations were participants in the conference, including:

TICAD-II (1998)

TICAD-II discussed poverty reduction in Africa and Africa's fuller integration into the global economy. in 1998. This conference produced the "Tokyo Agenda for Action" (TAA), which was intended to become a commonly understood strategic- and action-oriented set of guidelines. Ideas proposed at TICAD-II were also taken up by the G8 in the creation of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

African Countries

Delegations from 51 African nations participated in the conference, including eight heads of state:

Asian Countries

Delegations from 10 Asian nations participated in the conference, including:

TICAD-III (2003)

TICAD III reviewed the achievements of the ten-year TICAD process and discussed the future direction TICAD should take. TICAD-III brought together over 1000 delegates, including 23 heads of state and the Chairperson of the African Union.

Ministers and others

A number of government ministers and others were amongst the participants in the conference, including:

TICAD-IV (2008)

TICAD-IV focused on strategies for better mobilizing the knowledge and resources of the international community in the core areas of: (a) economic growth; (b) human security, including achieving the UN's Millennium Development Goals; and (c) environment/climate change issues. In addition, TICAD-IV tried to identify possible inter-linkages within the context of the G8 Hokkaidō Tōyako Summit in July 2008. The event brought together 2,500 participants, including representatives of 51 African countries, among whom were 40 African heads of state and government. Attendees came from over 70 international organizations.

Heads of State

Invitations were extended to 52 African countries and many heads of state decided to attend, including:

Ministers and others

A number of government officials and non-government organization delegates were amongst the participants in the conference, including:

Observers and others

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the NEPAD Business Group, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) made plans in advance to organize on the sidelines of TICAD-IV. They worked together to create an event which they hoped would attract the attention of the national delegations in Yokohama for TICAD—a meeting which they called Innovative Approaches to Private Sector Development for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. The event organizers provided a unique venue for presentations included actual case studies developed by the UN organizations and first-hand testimonials from various local private sector actors who have been beneficiaries or advocates of TICAD-inspired private sector development initiatives in Africa. Selected new and innovative approaches by global partners were showcased to demonstrate how market-based business activities and private sector investments can help achieve the MDGs.

World Bank President Zoellick participated in a meeting on the global food crisis jointly-organized with the African Union, the World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. This meeting was designed to focus attention on the immediate and medium-to-long term actions needed to tackle the global food crisis.

Some representatives from international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) complained their participation in the ongoing policy dialog between Japan and various African governments was thwarted at TICAD-IV. A group of 55 African, Japanese and international NGOs came uninvited to Yokohama; this was the first time that a 'civil society forum' was incorporated into the compressed agenda. Six observers were allowed in as observers; and the NGOs construe such limited participation as reflective of a view of NGOs as unimportant.

The shared perspectives of the TICAD-IV's official participants and unofficial observers served to underscore the case for immediate assistance to help Africa’s vulnerable economies to weather the current global food and fuel crisis. Questions remain about how best to achieve such salutary goals.