Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has urged organizers of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, (TICAD) to include in its programmes, the "Africa beyond Aid" agenda ahead of the TICAD 7 summit, slated for August 2019 in Yokohama.

The minister made the comments when she addressed the 2nd plenary of the two day TICAD Ministerial Meeting held in Tokyo on the topic; "Economic Transformation for Inclusive Growth".

The Foreign Minister said President Akufo Addo's "Ghana beyond Aid" agenda has caught up with his colleague Heads of State on the African continent. A call, she is convinced is increasingly informing the negotiation patterns of African leaders with the developed world.

Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey therefore observed, organizers and partners of TICAD, in setting the agenda for the upcoming multilateral forum must look beyond grants and loans for African countries, while focusing on how Japan could make available to Africa its technological know-how and intellectual properties in the manufacturing and electronic sectors for the rapid industrialization of the African continent.

In His opening address Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Taro Kono, reiterated the significance of quality of aid to Africa and said Japan seeks to connect the continent under its ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.’



“International assistance however, should be provided in accordance with international standards such as transparency, openness and economic efficiency,” Mr Kono added. According to him, this principle is the hallmark of Japan’s quality infrastructure initiatives.

Foreign Ministers from Japan and over 45 African countries met in Tokyo to discuss the agenda for TICAD 7.

Other highlights of the 2-day ministerial meeting were discussions on infrastructural development, health care coverage, disaster prevention and efforts to make business investments and development more inclusive on the African continent.



Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey arrived in the Japanese capital Tokyo, Saturday October 6, 2018, ahead of the 7th TICAD Ministerial conference.
She was met on arrival at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo by Ghana's Ambassador to Japan, H.E Frank Okyere and other officials of the Ghanaian Embassy in that country.