From Africa Recovery, Vol.12#2 (November 1998), page 22 (box within article on "Tokyo conference")

Poverty reduction, Africa's global integration agreed as priorities

The twin themes of the Tokyo Agenda for Action* adopted on 21 October at the Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-II) are poverty reduction through accelerated economic growth and sustainable development, and the effective integration of Africa into the global economy. "The experience of poverty reduction in East Asia demonstrates that rapid economic growth with equitable income distribution over a sustained period of time can help lift the poor above the poverty line," the Agenda declares.

Toward that end, the Agenda sets a series of targets in education, health, women's advancement and other areas to promote social development and assist the poor, and outlines the types of actions required by both African countries and their development partners to achieve those goals. Again citing the East Asian experience, it identifies education as central to human capacity building, and thus to accelerated growth and sustained poverty reduction.

Noting that "globalization presents additional challenges and new opportunities for African countries," the Agenda stresses that national development strategies should aim to enhance international competitiveness through greater use of appropriate technologies to improve skills and productivity. While African countries should ensure open economies and promote private enterprise, the Agenda says, they also need to strengthen the capacity of public institutions, including through improvements in governance. Africa's development partners can support these efforts through debt relief, expanded market access for African exports, and promotion of foreign direct investment. Regional economic integration within Africa, and above all progress in resolving and preventing conflicts, are also seen as vital to the continent's progress.

----------------------

*The full text of the Tokyo Agenda for Action is available on the Internet at <www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad2>

[Back to index] [To Volume12#2 -- full graphics]

Material from this article may be freely reproduced, with attribution to "Africa Recovery, United Nations".
We would appreciate a copy of the reproduction.

Africa Recovery
Room S-931
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 USA

Tel: (212) 963-6857
Fax: (212) 963-4556
Email: africa_recovery@un.org

Website: www.africarecovery.org
Contact us by email: africa_recovery@un.org