The 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 27 and 28, 2016. TICAD I was held in 1993, and until 2013, 5 conferences were held in Tokyo and Yokohama every five years. TICAD, co-hosted by the Government of Japan, the World Bank Group, the United Nations and the African Union Commission (AUC), is now going to be held every three years, and for the first time, TICAD VI will be held in Africa this year. In preparation for TICAD VI, the World Bank Tokyo Office has been conducting the Seminar Series to discuss challenges and perspectives of TICAD and African countries.
The Yokohama Action Plan 2013-2017, agreed at TICAD V, sets out sustainable use of biodiversity and management of land and forest resources as a priority challenge under the environment/climate change agenda. The 6th seminar focused on Japanese enterprises’ CSR efforts for forestry conservation and social development in Liberia.
In the seminar, Yasusuke Tsukagoshi, Special Representative, Japan, World Bank Group and David J. Saryee, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Liberia delivered opening remarks. Inguna Dobraja, World Bank’s Country Manager for Liberia gave a firsthand briefing on the current situation and challenges of Liberia whose livelihoods and economic activities were heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Naoko Sugami from Daikin Industries, Ltd. and Liam Walsh from Conversation International Liberia spoke about their "Forests for the Air" Project that seeks to conserve forests through community support and environmental education.