Wednesday, May 18th, 2005

Africa Day Symposium on Digital Partnership: Hopes and Inspirations from Bandung

GDLN as a bridge between Africa and Asia

Aiko Doden, NHK Senior News Broadcaster, NHK World Network and Goodwill Ambassador to the World Summit on Information Society; Graham Holbrook Fry, UK Ambassador to Japan; Ryu Fukui, Partnerhip and Programs Manager, TDLC

The Africa Day Symposium, organized by the United Nations University and the African Diplomatic Corps and co-sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications, was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo May 18.

The Symposium offers an opportunity for the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo to enter into a genuine dialogue with all concerned groups in Japan, based on a shared commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to the sustained development of Africa. The symposium is also intended to contribute to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference (Indonesia).

The TDLC's Partnership and Programs Manager Ryu Fukui participated in a panel discussion on "Africa-Asia Digital Partnership" chaired by Aiko Doden, Senior News Broadcaster, NHK World Network, and Goodwill Ambassador to the World Summit on Information Society.

The TDLC's Ryu Fukui introduces the center and the GDLN to the symposium

Many conference participants were already quite familiar with the Global Development Learning Network, and Mr. Fukui delivered a presentation on the effectiveness of the GDLN and recent TDLC activities. He discussed specific cases of interest to the Africa-Asia digital partnership as well as follow-up proposals arising out of the GDLN's support of TICAD III.

The Africa Day Symposium this year coincides with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) thematic meeting "Towards the Realization of the Ubiquitous Network Society" organized by the Government of Japan, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations University (UNU) on 16-17 May 2005. The objective of the symposium is to bring to the forefront the importance of promoting digital partnership and of bridging the digital divide, issues which will be addressed at the Second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Tunis, November 2005.

The opening session of the Symposium heard remarks from Salah-Hannachi, Ambassador of Tunisia to Japan and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, Hans van Ginkel, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of The United Nations University, Yoshiro Mori, Former Prime Minister of Japan, Member of the House of Representatives, and President of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship Association, Ichiro Aisawa, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union.

The United Nations University has made video of the Symposium available online.

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