26 May 2008 TOKYO—UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, has urged leaders gathering for the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) to commit to swifter action to end maternal death and promote women’s rights, to speed up poverty reduction in Africa. TICAD IV will be held in Yokohama, Japan, from Wednesday to Friday. This call to action was made by UNFPA’s Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, who warned that Africa will not be lifted out of poverty and the Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved unless the lives, health and rights of women were promoted more vigorously and fulfilled. “It pays to invest in women–for their families, their communities and their nations,” said Ms. Obaid. “Only when women are healthy, educated and empowered can they lift their families and their nations from the depths of poverty to prosperity.” The Executive Director also hailed the announcement by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to double Japan’s official development assistance to Africa by 2012. She expressed hope that more of the funds would be allotted to maternal health. “This action by Japan is a welcome leap,” she added. “I urge other nations to follow this lead.” TICAD IV is organized by Japan’s Government along with several partners. It will bring together African heads of State and Government and leaders of international organizations to discuss concrete ways to promote Africa’s economic growth, ensure human security and address climate change. TICAD holds summits every five years. TICAD IV is expected to adopt the Yokohama Declaration and Plan of Action, which would be presented to the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit to be held in Japan in July. UNFPA urged Japan to make TICAD assistance to Africa even more comprehensive, especially by allotting a greater portion to educating and empowering women and youth, as well as to ensuring universal access to reproductive health. “UNFPA, for its part, is committed to intensifying action with partners to improve maternal health, enhance access to reproductive health and empower women,” said Ms. Obaid. “With stronger political will, more cooperation and funding, we can ensure a more vibrant Africa.” *** UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
The United Nations (UNFPA) organization United Nations Population Fund emphasized the importance of women's health in Africa at the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV). Priorities of the conference include economic growth, peace and democracy and climate change. The three-day conference which ended Friday included representatives from over 80 countries.

Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda 
At the conference in Yokohama, Japan, over 40 heads of State agreed on health priorities adopted at the end of the three-day summit. The theme of the conference was "Towards a vibrant Africa: A continent of hope and opportunity", and approximately 86 countries were represented, as well as international organizations. The Yokohama Action Plan prioritizes universal access to reproductive health services and an increase in the number of African women who give birth with skilled assistance.

Japanese Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda announced steps which would be taken by his country to further health conditions in Africa, including: increasing funding to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, training 100,000 African health workers, and doubling the country's bilateral development assistance to Africa by 2012. "In the future, Africa will become a powerful engine driving the growth of the world," said Mr. Fukuda at the start of the conference.

The Prime Minister said Japan would offer up to US$4 billion in loans to African countries to go towards agriculture and infrastructure. He announced the formation of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation Facility for African Investment, which will provide $2.5 billion in financial assistance.


United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro cited priority 5 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - preventing women's deaths during pregnancy and childbirth as a serious challenge. "Reducing maternal mortality lies at the heart of implementation to achieve all the other goals," said Migiro.


UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid told conference participants that women's health in Africa should be made a priority. "Of all the Millennium Development Goals, goal number five - preventing women's deaths during pregnancy and childbirth - is generating the least resources and lagging the furthest behind. And African women are paying the price," she said. Obaid urged world leaders "to make the health of women a political and development priority".

TICAD holds summits every five years, and is a joint program between Japan and the United Nations Development Programme. Japan will report the conference results at the Group of Eight (G8) meeting in Tokyo in July, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Fukuda.