35 heads of state confirm TICAD VI attendance

The government has spent Sh500 million preparing for the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD, summit slated for next week.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 35 heads of state and 10 thousand delegates from Japan and Africa have confirmed attendance for the summit, making it one of the most high profile conference held on Kenyan soil.

Japan Prime Minster Shinzo Abe is expected to use the summit to meet African leaders and solidify trade and development partnerships.

Speaking during a briefing on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said security would be beefed up in Nairobi ahead of the summit with most roads in the central business district being closed over four days.

“A number of side events such as Japan/Africa business forum, Africa industrialization event, seminars on Energy, Health, Trade, Environment, women and youth, peace and security, science and technology is scheduled to take place at the summit,” Ms Mohamed said.

Some of the thematic issues to be addressed include industrialization, health and social stability among others.

Kenya has been positioning itself as a conference destination of choice and in July held the fourth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) having previously also hosted the global entrepreneurship summit (GES) in 2015.

Ms Mohamed said the UNCATD conference generated an estimated Sh6 billion for the economy, with the government eyeing double the amount during the two day TICAD summit.

Already hotels in the city are reporting brisk business ahead of the summit. The TICAD VI Secretariat says hotels such as the Intercontinental Hotel, Sankara, Hilton Sarova Stanley and Radisson Blu already booked for the delegates.

The TICAD summit is expected to facilitate implementation of initiatives for promoting African Development with Japan.

TICAD VI, which began in Japan 23 years ago is the first summit to be held in Africa since its inception in 1993. It will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Center in Nairobi, 27th-28th August 2016 where Kenya is expected to sign 60 Memorandum Of Understanding.

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