By Obinna Uballa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it will use the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) to deepen partnerships and attract new investment for Africa’s growth.
The three-day conference, which opens Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, comes at a time when African economies are seeking to close funding gaps and strengthen resilience to global economic and climate shocks.
Co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, the World Bank and the African Union Commission, TICAD has been a key platform for Africa’s development since 1993, channeling support mainly through grant aid and technical assistance.
AfDB executives leading the Bank’s delegation include Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth; Solomon Quaynor, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation; Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery; and Kevin Urama, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance & Knowledge Management.
Over the years, Japan’s collaboration with the AfDB through initiatives such as the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance (EPSA) programme has generated billions of dollars in co-financing for African infrastructure and businesses. A new extension, EPSA6, is expected to be signed during the conference.
The Bank says it will co- host side events to promote Japanese investment in sectors such as green hydrogen, transport, health, agriculture, and education.
Energy access will also feature prominently at the conference. At a pre-event session on Tuesday, AfDB’s Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, Wale Shonibare, warned that 600 million Africans still lack electricity, while 900 million have no access to clean cooking. He said TICAD9 provides a timely platform to unlock innovation and financing for Africa’s power sector.
The AfDB said it remains committed to using the Yokohama forum to strengthen strategic alliances with Japanese partners and accelerate the continent’s development agenda.
