August 22, 2022 Official Side Events for the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) Held by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will hold an online seminar on the digital transformation (DX) and an online exhibition aimed to promote information and communications technology in Japan as official side events for the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8: Scheduled to be held on August 27 and 28).

Africa is recently achieving remarkable economic development against the backdrop of abundant natural resources and increasing population. Japan is leading development support for Africa through activities such as holding the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors is forcing Africa to face a very severe socioeconomic environment. Promotion of the digitalization of socioeconomic systems is required urgently, and the contribution of technologies and solutions in terms of information, communications, and digitalization from Japan is expected.

Aiming to contribute in the digitalization of Africa, MIC will coordinate with relevant organizations to hold official side events for TICAD 8 that will be held on Saturday, August 27, and Sunday, August 28, 2022, in Tunisia, namely an online seminar on the digital transformation (DX) and an online exhibition aimed to promote ICT infrastructure and solutions in Japan.
Please refer to the following on the method to participate in each event.

1. Online seminar

(1) Name
Boosting Digital Transformation in Africa
—Date as a Development Enabler—

(2) Purpose and details
Discussions will be held from the perspectives of both public and private sectors, on themes such as how fair access to data and data governance can be secured while making the maximum use of the value of the data, and the introduction of digital infrastructure and data solutions contributing to the development of Africa.

(3) Date and time
From 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, Friday, August 26, 2022 (JST) (tentative schedule)

(4) Event format
Online conference using Zoom

(5) Language
Simultaneous interpretation available between Japanese, English, and French

(6) Organizer/co-organizer
MIC, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank

(7) Scheduled speakers

• Opening remarks: Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
• Major panelists and speakers:
  Ministers in charge of information and communications in Africa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank, ICT companies, civil society (NGO,etc.)

2. Web Exhibition of Japanese ICT infrastructure and Digital Solutions

(1) Purpose and details
The event is held in collaboration with the Japan Platform for Driving Digital Development to support the business development of ICT companies in Japan through the introduction of high-quality ICT infrastructure and digital solutions to the governments and relevant business persons in African countries.

(2) Event period:
From 12:00 am of Monday, August 22, to 11:59 pm of Friday, September 9, 2022 (JST)

(3) Language
English, French

(4) Organizer/co-organizer
MIC, Japan Platform for Driving Digital Development