Seminar & Events
International Symposium
Africa in the ‘Global South’: Potentials and constraints of African development in the changing world
* This seminar will be held in hybrid style (in-person and online).
The registration is closed.
With the highest proportion of young people, Africa is the continent that carries the future of the planet. It is predicted that by the middle of this century, one in four people of the world’s population will be a resident of the African continent, further increasing Africa’s presence in the world. Some companies will see the expansion of consumer markets caused by population growth as business opportunities. On the other hand, there are uncertainties with regards to food production, provision of life infrastructure and creation of sufficient employment opportunities to support the growing population and meet their expectations. Today some African countries face serious social, economic and political problems including poverty, conflict, human displacements, infectious diseases and bad governance.
This symposium brings together researchers and members of an international organization and mass media who have been involved in Africa and discuss the present and future of Africa. What potentials and opportunities exist in Africa, and what are the factors that may prevent their realizations? What challenges do African countries need to overcome in order to become a continent that bears the future of the planet? Later in 2025, the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) will be held in Yokohama. We would also like to use this occasion to rethink the relationship between Japan and Africa.
We look forward to your participation.
Date & Time
Wednesday, 12 February 2025, 14:00-16:50 (Japan Standard Time)（Door opens at 13:30）
Venue
（In-person）
World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center (Fukoku Seimei Building 14th Floor, Uchisaiwaicho 2-2-2, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Nearest subway stations: Toei Mita Line, Uchisaiwaicho Station; Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Hibiya Line, and Marunouchi Line, Kasumigaseki Station
（Online）
Webex webinar
* You can join the Cisco Webex webinar on PCs (Windows/Mac), tablets or smartphones. When you join the Webex webinar for the first time, the Webex app will be automatically downloaded on your device. Please check whether you can use Webex with your device on the test site provided by Cisco (Cisco Webex | Test online meeting).
Program
Chair: Koichi OMORI, Senior External Affairs Officer, World Bank Tokyo Office
| Time |
Program |
|---|---|
| 14:00-14:05 |
Opening Remarks
|
| 14:05-14:10 |
Purpose of the Symposium
|
| 14:10-14:40 |
Keynote Speech
|
| 14:40-15:00 |
“Africa’s High Inequality: Broadening Opportunities to Raise Productivity and Earnings and Accelerate Poverty Reduction”
|
| 15:00-15:15 |
“Employment of the Youth in sub-Saharan Africa”
|
| 15:15-15:30 |
“Expectations for Political Participation and Democracy among the Youth”
|
| 15:30-15:50 |
“Frontline Report on the ‘Super Year’ of Elections in Africa”
|
| 15:50-16:00 | Break |
| 16:00-16:50 |
Panel Discussion and Q&A
|
Languages
Simultaneous interpretation in Japanese and English will be available.
Capacity
（In-person）70 persons
* We will ask you to attend the symposium online once we reach in-person capacity.
（Online）Registration will be closed once we reach capacity.
Registration is now closed.
Organizers
Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), The World Bank, The Asahi Shimbun Company
Participation Fee
Free
* This symposium has been registered as a “TICAD 9 Partner Project”.
Contact:
Outreach Event Division, Research Operations Department, IDE-JETRO
E-mail: sympo-sc