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| About TICAD Civil Society Forum （TCSF) |
TICAD Civil Society is a NGO which aims to improve the living standards of African people through people centered development. The forth African Development Conference (TICADⅣ) is scheduled to be held in 2008 and TCSF is advocating for better policies toward Africa through TICAD process.
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■□ Background
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| June 2004 |
The Japanese government has considerable influence over people's livelihood in
Africa despite the relatively week economic ties and personal relationships
between Africa and Japan. Japanese ODA accounts for 10 % of all bilateral aid to
Africa (1997-1999), and Africa is the most aid-reliant area in the world. (Aid
constitutes nearly 25% of the total investments in Africa, far more than the
average of 4% for other developing countries. Donor countries and institutions
have major influence on Africa's political and economic systems, far more than
their influence in Asia countries.) Not only as a huge supplier of monetary aid,
but also as a big resource provider, Japan has had a great impact on African
governance.
There are some questions about the impact of Japanese policy
on Africa. The question is whether Japanese policy actually functions
effectively for improvement of Africa. In Japan's policy toward Africa, only ODA
activity has a conspicuous impact on Africa affairs, aid organizations,
businessmen, and researchers think that Japanese aid does not work efficiently.
Japanese contributions on the ground toward democratization, struggles against
corruption, as well as efforts for peace are still insufficient. Some NGOs in
Africa, Europe, United States, and Japan are also distrustful of a manner of
Japanese aid.
Do you think that Japanese policies on African affairs have
really functioned for people there? If not, what improvement do you think is
important? Through this Forum we would like to raise awareness of the
improvement of Japanese policy in order to achieve the development centered
around African people.
The Forum is focusing on Japanese policies on
African affairs, especially the process of Tokyo International Conference on
African Development (TICAD). TICAD is the most important tool of Japanese
policies on African affairs. It is the international conference for development
of Africa co-organized by the international institutions and Japanese government
and has already been held three times (1933, 1998, and 2003). Fifty countries
from Africa including 24 national leaders attended TICAD III in Tokyo last year
(2003). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan recognizes TICAD as "the
biggest asset to diplomatic relations between Africa and Japan. Since the third
conference, in particular, it is always referred to in any agreement made by
Africa and Japan.
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| ■□ About Us |
The concept of the Forum is derived from some
activities of ACT2003 (2002-2003), which was established to get the messages of
civil societies into TICAD III (2003). A consensus was reached in the discussion
with African and Asian NGOs that both domestic and international civil
societies, including TICAD, had not effectively followed-up and monitored
Japanese policies' effects on African affairs. As a result, we came to think
that establishment of a sustainable organization was needed in partnership with
civil societies of Africa and Asia (including Japan) in order to achieve
development centered around African people. (You can find more detailed
activities of TICAD2003 at Africa-Japan Forum Official Home Page.) The Forum
provides an opportunity to exchange opinions for various people who are
interested in Japanese policies on African affairs. We review and analyze
Japanese aid policies while developing a network of civil societies not only in
Japan but also in Africa and Asia. Moreover, we propose amendments to policies
for more public-oriented Japanese policies on African affairs. Key functions of
the Forum are as follows:
1. Networking / setting up a forum for
discussion
2. Think tank / Review and analysis of Japan's aid policies
3.
Policy proposals / advocacy & lobbying.
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| ■□ Our Mission and Goals for TICAD in 2008 |
Our mission is to implement a development process
led by African people. The Forum works on the government aggressively for
further improvement of Japanese policy on African affairs. The following are
goals for TICAD in 2008.
1. To build a network of civil society group
of Africa, Asia, and Japan with the following requirements
A.
Understanding, analyzing, and representing the interests of the African
public
B. Making practical policy recommendations
2. To make
proposals specifically based on results of survey analysis and to promote
improvements of Japanese policies and systems on African affairs in order to
reach grass roots level people in Africa and to support their efforts.
3. To change TICAD process.
TICAD should
A. map
out action plans for improving the living standards of African people,
B.
become more open to civil societies to reflect their voices in the TICAD process
C. formally acknowledge civil society groups as partners
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