PM leading Cameroon's delegation as 9th Tokyo int'l confab opens today.

According to a release which the Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office, Balungeli Ebune Confiance, issued August 13, Dion Ngute is heading the Cameroon’s delegation to the conference on the instructions of the Head of State, Paul Biya.

The conference will end Friday, August 22. Japan has been staging the confab in collaboration with institutions such as the African Union Commission, AUC; the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP since 1993.

An outline of information guide on the Conference which organisers made public showed several symposiums and exhibitions have been programmed. 

The symposia touch on issues on almost every sector geared towards boosting Japan’s relationship with Africa.

When business get underway today, discussions will touch on but not limited to shaping Africa’s future with interest on the future of human resource development, science and technology cooperation.

Participants will also look at co-creating the future of healthcare and the economy on the topic: “Japan-Africa Public-Private Partnerships at the Forefront”. 

There will also be another symposium on: “Public-Private Collaboration for Health Solutions and Business Acceleration”.

Today’s programme outline will equally look at boosting Japanese investment in Africa Through World Bank Group guarantees and its multilateral investment agency.

Day one of the confab will also touch on "the Potential of space education in primary schools: Insights from Pilot programs in Japan and Africa".  

The Progamme Guide also shows that there will be exchanges on the topic: “Towards Food Security and Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Leaving No One Behind Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO”.

Day one also has discussions planned on the future of health technology innovation and equity Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, GHIT Fund; healthcare, economy and future of Japan-Africa public private partnership between and infrastructure, growth and transformation in Africa.

On Thursday, delegates to the 9th TICAD, will shape perspectives on harnessing the potential of Africa strengthening partnerships, Japan’s Direct Foreign Investments, DFIs, and Private Sector development. 

There is also an exchange progrmmed on Africa’s innovative solutions on immunization vis-à-vis the Universal Health Coverage, UHC, 2030 target of the African Union Commission.

There will also be a workshop on science, technology for Japanese and African high school students, migration and human security in Africa. Thursday’s discussions will equally touched on global aid architecture and challenges in Africa. 

Another discussion on the second day of the 9th TICAD will zoom on the challenges of agriculture in Africa among other issues.

Health, Artificial Intelligence, sustainable dev’t…also on agenda

On the last day of the Conference, participants will review advancements in maternal child health management in Africa with respect to the Portable Health Clinic, PHC. 

Still in the health sector, those in attendance will look at how to leveraging Artificial Intelligence, AI, and Digital Clone Technologies to improve maternal healthcare.

The Dion Ngute-led delegation will also be among participants when discussions on advancing safe, secure, and trustworthy AI in Africa come to the fore Friday. 

Other items on the Friday’s agenda are; cultural heritage in Africa and Japan; Japan’s role in boosting school meals in Africa in Africa especially   through the Global Partnerships for Education scheme. 

There will equally be a meeting on building sustainable development in Africa; transforming the Continent’s food systems through regenerative Agriculture.

Ways to empower young farmers in Africa; Public-Private-Producer partnerships for food security, unlocking potential through joint Investment in rural Africa is also on the menu of exchanges.

Africa as a land of hope, risk management, building resilient infrastructure; enhancing health and food security in Africa through nuclear science and technology are other pertinent topics to be dissected among others.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3539 of Wednesday August 20, 2025