FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva will attend the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) to be held in Nairobi/Kenya.

He will be accompanied by Mr Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

TICAD VI provides an opportunity for Asian, African nations and international stakeholders such as FAO to work together towards Africa’s sustainable development. This high-level policy forum between African leaders and Africa’s development partners will focus on issues related to economic growth, sustainable development, peace and security, nutrition and agriculture, combatting desertification etc.

TICAD was launched in 1993 by the Government of Japan. Japan’s partnership with FAO has a strong focus on building resilience in African countries, where threatening levels of food insecurity result not only from climatic hazards but also from ongoing internal conflicts.

Ahead of the TICAD VI summit, Graziano da Silva will pay an official visit to Kenya on 26 August 2016.

TICAD VI - Key side events

26 August

World Bank event to "Future of Food in Sub-Saharan Africa: Reviewing Progress, Charting Next Steps" - 09:00 - 11:30 -Venue: Kempinski Hotel Villa Rosa, Nairobi

27 August

-TICAD opening - 08:30 - 09:45

-FAO event “Food Security and Peacebuilding in Africa” - 14:30-16:00 - Venue: Sarova Panafric Hotel

-JICA event "Action on Nutrition; Launching of IFNA" - 16:30 - 18:30 -Venue: Sarova Panafric Hotel

FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme will reiterate support to the AU and African countries in implementing continental, sub-regional and country level priorities within the TICAD VI framework.

FAO, IFAD and WFP will address Thematic Sessions on 27 August 2016, 15.00-18.00:

1. Promoting Structural Economic Transformation through Economic Diversification and Industrialization

2. Promoting Resilient Health Systems for Quality of Life

3. Promoting Social Stability for Shared Prosperity

Other key side events at TICAD VI will include:

• “Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) Initiative” – Date: 25 August 2016

Time:  9:00 - 11:40 hours (CARD Secretariat)

• Future of Food in Africa: Reviewing Progress, Charting Next Steps - 26 August 2016  

Time: 08:45 - 13.00 hours (World Bank)

• Symposium on nutrition improvement and Japanese food culture - Date: 26 August 2016  Time: 10:00 - 13:00 hours
• A new African initiative for combating desertification to strengthen resilience to climate change in the Sahel and Horn of Africa - Date: 27 August 2016 - Time: 14:15 - 16:00 hours -

(Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA)

The Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa (IFNA) aims at accelerating international efforts to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in the continent, it will be launched at TICAD VI. IFNA is an ambitious initiative that aims to bring African governments together to swiftly implement food and nutrition security policies and programmes. 

Distributed by APO on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).