The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP) will depart Accra on Thursday October 4, 2018 to Tokyo, The Japanese capital, to participate in a 2-day Ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) from October 6 -8.

The meeting is being co-organized by the government of Japan, United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC).

It is expected to review the progress of measures announced at TICAD V and VI at the ministerial level and to prepare for TICAD VII which will be held from August 28 – 30, 2019 in Yokohama

Sessions at the meeting will focus on the following:

1. review and explore ways to promote economic diversification and structural transformation in Africa towards inclusive growth and sustainable development

2. review progress made in relation to the second pillar of TICAD VI on building resilient health systems and promoting universal health coverage as well as sustainable and stable society to ensure human security

3. review recent progress in strengthening connectivity in Africa and from various dimensions including infrastructure, digital, institutional and people-to-people connectivity.

As part of measures to initiate the process of setting the agenda for TICAD VII next year, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey will provide an assessment of overall development in the macroeconomics, social and environment situation in Ghana to the meeting.

Meanwhile, on the margins of the Ministerial meeting, the Hon. Minister will hold discussions with her Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono and other foreign diplomats

The Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is also expected to take part in several events including a science, technology and innovation program on open innovation to leapfrog Africa.

The TICAD Ministerial Meeting is held twice every year after each TICAD summit.