[TICAD Ministerial Meeting Thematic Event] Model of the African Union: Youth Solutions for a Greener Africa
August 10, 2024
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Event Details
24 August 2024
14:00 - 17:00 (JST) / 08:00 - 11:00 (EAT)
Hybrid (In-person participation is limited to country representatives and advisors)
Young people around the world express their distress over the inability to respond to events around them or contribute to change, in what they view as collective inaction. At the same time, young people are at the forefront of global dynamics, as they represent a large and growing segment of the population in Africa, and as they are often the most affected by the socio-economic and environmental challenges.
In the same vein, Japan has actively engaged in partnerships with Africa for many years, spearheading the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) since 1993 to deepen cooperation with Africa. At the last conference held in Tunisia in 2022, Japan affirmed its commitment to cooperate with Africa towards sustainable growth, positioning itself as a "partner for growing together with Africa." Looking ahead to the next 30 years with a rapidly growing African continent projected to comprise a quarter of the world's population by 2050, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cooperation between young people from Japan and Africa is essential for sustainable and peaceful global development.
As part of this initiative for mutual understanding, the inaugural Model African Union in Japan was launched in May 2024, commemorating the Africa Day. The first of its kind initiative in Japan aims to mark the first attempt where young people take the lead in thinking about sustainable development and partnerships across African countries. Specifically, leading up to TICAD9 scheduled for Yokohama in 2025, Japanese university students will pair with African exchange students to deepen their understanding of various African nations, fostering diversity, solidarity, and mutual understanding, while discussing innovative ideas for sustainable growth in African countries.
In this Model of the African Union conference, over 244 university students from Africa and Japan, representing 47 African nations, will convene for the Model African Union's simulated General Assembly. During this conference, youth delegates will assume the roles of heads of states and ministers to craft innovative solutions for three key continental development issues intertwined with climate change. Participants will be organized into three thematic groups aligned with the Special Technical Committees (STCs) of the African Union.
- STC: Education, Science, and Technology
TechRev: Innovating climate action with cutting-edge technology - STC: Migration, Refugees, and Internally Displaced Persons
Enhancing Climate Security: Strategies for climate-induced mobility, adaptation, and mitigation - STC: Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning, and Trade Integration
Aligning AfCFTA with Africa’s just energy transition for sustainable development.
Event details
Title: Model of the African Union: Youth Solutions for a Greener Africa
Date & time: Friday 23rd, August 2024 at 14:00-17:00 (JST) / 08:00 - 11:00 (EAT) Following the Preliminary discussions taking place at the Sophia University
Location: Hybrid
In-person: Hotel New Otani, Tokyo (In-person participation is limited to country representatives and advisors)
Online: Zoom
Language: English (simultaneous interpretation available in French and Japanese)
Co-organizers:
- African Union Commission (AUC)
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
- Sophia University
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Participants:
- Attendees of the Ministerial Meeting from Various African Countries
- JICA Scholars from African countries
- Core Team Representative Students from Participating Countries
- Representatives from Sophia University, Experts on Africa and Collaborators.
Admission: Free
Registration required for online participation. Click here to register.
Program:
Time | Activity |
---|---|
09:00 - 12:30 | Specialized Technical Committee (at the Sophia University, online streaming not available) |
14:00 - 14:15 | Opening remark |
14:15 - 14:30 | Plenary Session: Official Debate 1: Explanation of working documents submitted by each working committee. |
14:30 - 15:25 | Plenary Session: Informal Debate 1: Resolution drafting Director's Check: Confirmation of resolutions by core members |
15:25 - 16:05 | Plenary Session: Informal Debate 2: Negotiations towards voting |
16:05 - 16:25 | Official Debate 2: Explanation, voting, and adoption of resolutions |
16:25 - 17:00 | Reflection session/Awards Ceremony/Closing remarks |
Speakers:
- Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP's Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa
- Dr. Mohamed Salem Ould MERZOUG, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad, Commissioner, African Union Commission
- Mr. Naoki Ando, Senior Vice President, JICA
- Prof. Takashi Irohara, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Sophia University
Contact:
Arij BARDAA, Fellow, TICAD unit, UNDP Africa, arij.bardaa@undp.org
Follow the event on social media:
X : @JapanModelAU
Instagram : Model-AU-Japan