23 May 2008

Yokahama, Japan: UNV is showcasing the importance of volunteerism in Africa at the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) conference.

UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri and UNV Chief of the Africa Region Michele Falavigna are attending in order to contribute to the conference and its output documents (such as the Yokahama Declaration and Plan of Action), and to discuss UNV's activities with the Japanese and African media. The conference runs from 28-30 May in Yokohama, Japan.

Africa is the largest region of activity for UNV, with more than 4,300 UNV volunteers serving in development programmes and in peace building and humanitarian and electoral support.  

TICAD's three key goals are boosting economic growth, ensuring human security and addressing environmental issues. An example of UNV's contribution to the first of these can be seen in Tanzania. There are currently two Asian UNV volunteers already at work there helping build Small-to-Medium Enterprises, and more are to follow.

Teamed with a Tanzanian UNV volunteer, a marketing specialist from the Philippines is helping develop member associations of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA). Another, an Afghan national specializing in hotel business development, is paired with a Tanzanian national working at the Tourism Confederation of Tanzania (TCT).

Furthermore, in June, UNV will be setting up business proposal training along with TCCIA, TCT and other partners to help participants acquire seed capital to grow their businesses.

UNV is involved in meeting TICAD's Africa priorities in other ways too. Since 2006 it has advised on the 'Young Ambassadors for Peace' programme in West Africa; it supports a pilot project on human rights in Uganda; and partners the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and French NGO Aquassistance in a waste management project in Guinea Bissau.

Launched by Japan in the 1990s, the aim of TICAD is to foster cooperation between Asia and Africa, while stressing the 'ownership' of Africa over its own development. The conference is held every five years, and the 2008 theme is 'Towards a Vibrant Africa'.