On 19 February 2025, UNU will host “Japan-Africa Relations Through 30 Years: Evolution of the TICAD Process and Challenges Ahead”, a conversation with Prof. Mieko Ikegame, Honorary Professor at the University of South Africa. This event will start at 18:30 in the 1F Annex Space at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo.
For several decades, Japan has been a prominent actor on the African continent. Beginning primarily as a trade relationship, ties between Africa and Japan have strengthened over decades with Japan becoming a major source of job creation, foreign direct investment and technical expertise.
The unique feature of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in comparison with other bilateral cooperation is its role as a multilateral forum to bring the voices of Africa to the international community through the facilitation of Japan and other multilateral organizations. TICAD originated in a UN context after Japan announced its intention to hold its first international conference on African development in the Asia region during the adoption of the UN New Agenda for the Development of Africa at the 47th session of the General Assembly in 1992.
The first TICAD was organized in 1993 by the Government of Japan, the United Nations and the Global Coalition of Africa. That conference's outcome document — the Tokyo Declaration on African Development — affirmed a commitment to continuing the TICAD process on a sustainable basis. UNDP was added as co-organizer for TICAD II in 1998, the World Bank for TICAD III in 2003, and the African Union Commission for TICAD V in 2013.
TICAD V established the current practice of convening TICAD every three years with its location alternating between Japan and African countries. TICAD 9 will be held in Yokohama, Japan on 20–22 August 2025.
Prof. Mieko Ikegame will join UNU Rector Tshilidzi Marwala for a discussion on Japan-Africa relations throughout the evolution of the TICAD process. How has Japan’s engagement with Africa evolved over the past 30 years? What challenges and opportunities lie ahead in strengthening partnerships and addressing shared priorities? How can TICAD continue to drive progress in achieving sustainable development and mutual growth?
The UNU Conversation Series aims to foster audience participation; you are encouraged to engage with the speakers during the conversation and at the reception that will follow, where all event attendees are invited to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks while exchanging ideas and making new contacts.
Please note that this event will be in English. Advance registration (by 18 February at 15:00) is required. Please click on the REGISTER button above to access the online registration page. Please be prepared to present identification at check-in.
UNU@50
This event is part of the UNU 50th anniversary celebration. To learn more, visit: https://unu.edu/unuat50
About the Speaker
Prof. Mieko Ikegame has had an extensive and distinguished career within the UN system. She was one of the first Japanese women to serve as an international civil servant, joining the UN in 1980. Over her 33-year tenure, she held pivotal roles within the UN Secretariat, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Food Programme (WFP). As director at FAO in Rome, she managed resource mobilization for field projects and coordinated programs worth US$1.6 billion, focusing on building peacebuilding and socioeconomic development in Africa.
Prof. Ikegame also played a critical role in TICAD, acting as the UN Focal Point and collaborating with the Government of Japan, UNDP, the World Bank and the African Union Commission. Her leadership has helped strengthen the multilateral dimensions of the TICAD process.
She also served as Director for Advocacy, Coordination and Programme Development in the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) of the UN Secretariat, where she helped align UN policies and programs to support Africa’s development.
After retiring from the UN, Prof. Ikegame has continued her impactful work in various high-level roles. She served as the Special Adviser to the CEO of the African Union (AU) Development Agency NEPAD for ten years. In 2023, Prof. Ikegame was appointed Special Envoy of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, a position in which she continues to advocate for African development and strengthen international cooperation. She is currently Special Adviser to the AU Special Envoy on Food Systems, Honorary Professor at the University of South Africa Graduate School, appointed in September 2024 based on her academic teaching experience as visiting professor at the University of Tokyo and Yokohama City University.
She is also the executive adviser to a number of major Japanese companies for their increased trade and investment in Africa, as well as contributing to the work of the Ashinaga Africa Initiative as executive senior adviser.
