Communiqué of the Second TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting

The Ministers and delegations of African countries and TICAD co-organizers, namely the Government of Japan, United Nations, United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank, together with representatives of other partner countries, the African Union Commission and other international and regional organizations, the private sector and civil society organizations, met in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, on May 2-3, 2010, at the Second TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting, in order to review progress on the implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan issued at the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), focusing on the mutually interlinked agenda items described in I through IV below.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania, and was officially opened by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

As multiple important international fora* - whose agenda closely relate to the issues dealt with in this meeting - are scheduled to take place in 2010, the Participants issued this communiqu? to convey further voice from Africa's perspective to these various fora.

The Participants expressed their sincere gratitude to the Government and People of the United Republic of Tanzania for the hospitality and the excellent facilities made available throughout the meeting.

*Important international fora include the G8 Summit, the G20 summit, the UN MDG Summit (High-level Plenary Meeting of the sixty-fifth session of the UN General Assembly), the tenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP10), and the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16).

I. Progress Status of Implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan and Future Challenges

1. The Participants expressed their overall satisfaction with the significant progress made during the second year of implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan, and commended the Government of Japan for its efforts to honour all commitments made at TICAD IV.
2. The Participants pointed out, however, that some sectors of the Yokohama Action Plan relating to enhanced private sector engagement with Africa - namely trade, including market-access for African exports to Japan, investment and tourism - required further effort by all stakeholders, both in Japan and Africa.
3. The Participants recognized that the monitoring of the TICAD Follow-up Mechanism was functioning effectively and that it presented a model for enhancing accountability and transparency regarding the implementation of commitments made by development partners and African countries. They also reaffirmed that this mechanism serves as an effective platform for the further advancement of collaborative efforts among stakeholders.
4. The Participants agreed to work in closer synergy with the AU, its NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA), the Pan African Parliament, and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as with financial institutions, including regional development banks to further enhance the TICAD partnership process. In this regard, the Participants stressed the centrality of the projects contained in the AU/NEPAD Africa Action Plan 2010-2015, approved by African Heads of State and Government in July 2009, as projects that will contribute to sustainable regional development. They also noted with pleasure that South-South Cooperation which has been promoted by the TICAD process since its inception is now a widely recognized modality for development cooperation and has become a vehicle to promote cooperation within the African continent. They called for exploring even further such cooperation.

II. Africa's Efforts to Recover from the Impact of the Global Financial and Economic Crisis

5. The Participants commended Japan for meeting the pledges it announced at the First TICAD Ministerial Follow-up Meeting in Botswana in 2009, including the expeditious disbursement or commitment of approximately US$2 billion in grant aid and technical assistance, and the accelerated implementation of the Yokohama Action Plan, in order to support Africa's own efforts to return to the path of sustainable economic growth.
6. The Participants emphasized that while Africa is generally well-placed to recover from the marked decline in growth caused by the financial and economic crisis, external resources and related assistance from development partners will be decisive to ensuring the firm consolidation of this trend towards recovery. They therefore urged all development partners to play their role and to implement all commitments, including, in particular, those expressed in the G-8 Gleneagles Summit meeting, which will lead to an increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa of US$25 billion a year by 2010, more than doubling aid to Africa compared to 2004. They also stressed the importance of the successful negotiation of the World Bank International Development Association (IDA) 16 and the African Development Bank Development Fund (ADF) 12.
7. The Participants commended the positive policy-responses undertaken thus far by African governments and urged their continued engagement, inter alia, in good governance, adherence to the APRM, prudent macroeconomic management, protection of the poor and the most vulnerable, including children, women and displaced persons, and the creation of a business-conducive environment. They recognized the key role of extractive industries for development, and commended progress made by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and other initiatives.
8. The Participants reaffirmed the importance of poverty-alleviation through sustainable economic growth and employment creation, and, in this context, the importance of continued support in such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, and rural development, where major gaps still inhibit the productivity, competitiveness, and service delivery of most African countries, as well as regional integration. They agreed to redouble their efforts in these fields, while taking note of the significant progress that has already been achieved. The Participants welcomed Japan's announcement that it would make even greater use of ODA loans in infrastructure up to US$2 billion in the next two years.

III. Achieving the MDGs

9. The Participants emphasized that the key to achieving the MDGs by 2015 lies in focusing increased attention upon those African countries which face the greatest challenges. The Participants also recognized that while climate-related shocks and financial and economic crises could lead to setbacks in the achievements of the MDGs, the MDGs represent interventions that could build the resilience of communities and societies to such shocks. In order not to allow any reverse of the progress registered over the past several years, the Participants underlined the importance of concerted efforts by the international community and African countries; African countries should continue to demonstrate political will and commitment, whilst development partners should fulfill their commitments, towards the achievement of each of the MDGs especially those lagging behind.
10. The Participants welcomed Japan's pledge to step up its MDGs-related assistance by implementing approximately US$1 billion beginning this year until the next Follow-up Meeting. They called for a strong African voice to encourage the High-level Plenary Meeting on the MDGs in September 2010 to determine a global strategy and specific actions to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
11. The Participants concurred that a holistic approach by the TICAD process, rooted in the concept of "human security", is working towards strengthening national capacity, ensuring effective delivery of social and economic services on the ground, and protection and empowerment at the community level. They agreed that the success of such approach, as an indispensable component for attaining the MDGs, should be duly reflected in the outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting on the MDGs. The Participants reaffirmed their commitment for peace building and consolidation which are prerequisite for achieving the MDGs, and underscored the importance of enhancing resilience of vulnerable countries and populations.

IV. Addressing Climate Change

12. The Participants shared the concern that climate change has serious adverse effects on the African continent. They reaffirmed the need for a fair and effective international framework in which all parties participate, and agreed that enhanced cooperation is essential in order to adopt a new and comprehensive legally-binding document as soon as possible, recognizing the African common position, and the important progress that has been made in the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change including the Copenhagen Accord which was taken note of. The Participants confirmed that they would work closely towards the success of the COP16 to be held in Cancun, Mexico. They recognized the necessity for agreement to be reached on ambitious targets and actions and agreed that Japan and African countries would strengthen their dialogue in subsequent international negotiations.
13. In this regard, the Participants expressed their strong will to take action toward addressing climate change, and welcomed the fact that assistance to Africa by the Government of Japan, based on the "Hatoyama Initiative", has already begun - and in particular, assistance for adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change, including strengthening national and regional capacity to cope with natural hazards associated with climate change, and for renewable energy as a mitigation measure. The Participants also expressed their expectation that the Government of Japan, in appropriate coordination with other development partners, would further strengthen its assistance to African countries to tackle climate change.
14. The Participants welcomed Japan's active role in assisting efforts concerning Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and combating desertification (REDD-plus) on the African continent. In this regard, African countries welcomed the announcement by the Government of Japan to host a ministerial meeting on forest conservation cooperation and climate change on the occasion of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP10) scheduled to be held in Japan in October this year. Recalling that forest conservation contributes to the conservation of biological diversity, they also agreed to strengthen collaboration towards the success of the CBD/COP10. In this regard, they underscored the necessity of strengthening the environmental programs in Africa, including the Great Green Wall and those in the Congo Basin, which is home to the second largest tropical forests in the world, and welcomed the initiative by the Government of Gabon to host the International Biodiversity Conference to be held in Libreville in September this year.