President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has left Ghana for Japan to attend the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), at the invitation of the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.

The conference is to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners.

Japan is a co-host of the conference, with the co-organisers being the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (UN-OSSA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Whilst in Japan, President Akufo-Addo would hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Abe, and also with the President of Mauritius, and would also hold meetings with some Chief Executive Officers of important Japanese companies.

The President would address the plenary session of TICAD on the theme: “Accelerating Economic Transformation and Improving Business Environment Through Innovation and Private Sector Engagement”; deliver the keynote speech at the 2019 Symposium of the Junior Chamber International; and deliver a statement at the Third Replenishment of GAVI, “a public-private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries”.

He was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kyerematen; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof.
Kwabena Frimpong Boateng; and officials from the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.

The President would return to Ghana on Sunday, September 1, 2019. Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will act shall in his stead.