Japan, Africa ministers to discuss world crisis, TICAD aid progress+

TOKYO, March 17 Kyodo - The impact of the global financial crisis on Africa and measures to be reflected at the April 2 London financial summit are expected to top the agenda when Japan meets with African nations and key international donors this weekend in Botswana to review progress on aid pledges made last year.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone will co-chair some sessions of the
two-day Tokyo International Conference on African Development ministerial
follow-up meeting from Saturday, ministry officials said. Former Prime Minister
Yasuo Fukuda is also scheduled to attend as special envoy.
In addition to reassuring his counterparts of Japan's position in supporting
African economic growth and achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development
Goals by 2015, Nakasone is also expected to promise to assist the continent in
overcoming the current economic crisis, the officials said.
On the sidelines, Nakasone will also hold bilateral meetings with Botswanan
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Phandu Tombola Chaka
Skelemani, as well as Djiboutian Minister Delegate for International
Cooperation Ahmed Ali Silay.
With Silay, Nakasone hopes to discuss in particular cooperation in fighting
piracy in waters off Somalia, as two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force
vessels recently dispatched on an antipiracy mission will base their activities
in Djibouti, an official in charge of African affairs said.
Ministers from at least 37 African countries as well as senior officials from
major donors, regional and international agencies are expected to take part in
the follow-up meeting co-hosted by Japan, the United Nations, the U.N.
Development Program and the World Bank.
At the TICAD summit in Yokohama last May, Japan pledged to double its official
development assistance and investments in Africa by 2012.