Outline of the event
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Venue: Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel
Organized by: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Speakers (titles omitted)
(Opening remarks)
Shojiro Nishio (Chairman, Inochi Kaigi Project Promotion Council / Former President, Osaka University / Senior Advisor, Japan International Exposition, 2025)
Takuo Dome (Chair, Executive Committee of “Inochi Kaigi” Project / Director and Specially Appointed Professor, Social Solutions Initiative, Osaka University)
(Panel Discussion)
Ismael NABE, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Republic of Guinea
Amma TWUM-AMOA, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian and Social Development, African Union Commission
Tatsuya Imanishi (Counselor, International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Shuntaro Saito, Co-President, Africa-Asia Youth Nest
David Kpondehou, Director, African Network in Japan (ADNJ)
(Closing remarks)
Akihiko Tanaka (President, JICA)
background
The “Inochi Conference” was held as a thematic event of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (hereinafter referred to as TICAD 9) under the theme of “Future Society Created with Africa: Achieving the SDGs and Beyond,” and was designed to provide an opportunity for stakeholders from African countries and Japan to come together and deepen discussions toward realizing a sustainable society where “no one is left behind. The conference was planned to provide an opportunity to deepen discussions toward the realization of a sustainable society where “no one is left behind.
Contents
On August 22, 2025, TICAD 9 thematic event “Inochi Kaigi: Future Society Created with Africa: Achieving the SDGs and Beyond” was held at the Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel.
The “Inochi Conference” is a conference to present measures to realize a society where “no one is left behind” and the role of science and technology, and to further discuss the goals that humankind should aim for after the SDGs, i.e., after 2031.
At this event, from the perspective of this “Inochi Council,” we discussed the vision of the future society that Africa is aiming for and the challenges that need to be overcome, and had lively discussions on the post-SDGs with African stakeholders.
Opening the meeting, Mr. Nishio, Chairperson of the “Inochi Council,” who is one of the “Senior Advisors” for Expo 2025, said, “This is not just a forum for discussion, but a place to reconsider the essence of life. Through inclusive and respectful dialogue, true “co-creation” will become possible, and this will be a major step toward a bright future society for all. Then, Mr. Dome, Chairperson of the “Inochi Kaigi” Executive Committee, introduced the basic philosophy of the “Inochi Kaigi” project in an easy-to-understand manner. The relationship between the two is one of mutual assistance. It is not a one-way relationship; the one who helps may also be on the side of the one who is helped. Based on this mutuality, we aim to realize a society in which all life is recognized, respected, and nurtured.
Opening remarks by Mr. Nishio, Chairperson of the “Inochi Kaigi” Project Promotion Council
In the panel discussion that followed, five panelists from Africa (Republic of Guinea, African Union Commission), the Japanese government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and representatives of African and Japanese youth took the stage to discuss various topics under the theme of “Future Society Created with Africa: Achieving the SDGs and Beyond”: “To leave no one behind, How to design Africa’s future society so that no one is left behind,” and “What are the biggest challenges to achieving the SDGs in Africa? The following active exchange of opinions took place on specific issues and the importance of cooperation among countries to solve these issues toward the SDG targets set to be achieved by 2030 in the areas of education, health, medical care, and others.
Ismael NABE, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Republic of Guinea, said, “The key to a better future society is ‘co-creation’ and equal ‘partnership. We do not use the word ‘aid. The key is education. Without human resources, there is no future.” David Kpondehou, Director of the African Network in Japan (ADNJ), responded, “Human resources with the right skills and values will create the future.
Mr. Imanishi, Counselor, International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, added, “In Africa, where there are many young people, quality education is indispensable. Drawing out the potential of young people will directly lead to the creation of a sustainable society. Mr. Saito, co-chairperson of Africa-Asia Youth Nest, said, “Currently, 4 to 5,000 people from Japan travel to Africa. We would like to increase this number to 100,000 and nurture them as changemakers,” he said enthusiastically.
From a health care perspective, African Union Commission Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian and Social Development Amma TWUM-AMOA said, “In order to solve the problem of poverty and increase the number of healthy human resources, we need mechanisms to ensure equal access to health care for the population. To achieve this, investment in health and medical care is also essential.
During the Q&A session following the panel discussion, some of the audience participants asked passionately whether raising the priority of women and children could contribute to the development of the country. In response, Amma TWUM-AMOA Commissioner in charge said, “You are right, it is impossible to achieve a perfect society without women and children. Empowering both of them, who are still considered to be in a vulnerable position, will bring great benefits to the future society. For example, we will focus on working with our partners to reduce the mortality rate of pregnant women and infants, as well as using AI to facilitate access to healthcare,” he replied.
Panel Discussion
At the end of the program after the Q&A session, the discussion concluded with the common understanding that young people in both regions should work hand in hand to build a mutually beneficial partnership, given the large population of young people in Africa and the aging population in Japan.
In closing, Chairman Tanaka stated, “We want to contribute to a future where all life can shine and sustainability can be realized. To achieve this, it is essential for us to share knowledge and inspire each other through co-inspiration.
JICA President Tanaka and Ismael NABE, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Republic of Guinea
The “Inochi Conference” at the JICA-sponsored thematic event at TICAD 9 was an occasion that deeply resonated with the Expo’s philosophy of “designing a future society where life shines brightly.
Reception for the three venues of the event
At this year’s TICAD 9, official Expo posters were displayed at the reception desks of the three thematic event venues, and pamphlets introducing JICA’s cooperation with Africa, featuring the logo of the Expo’s official mascot character “Myakmyak,” were distributed, also introducing the collaboration with the Expo.
Pamphlet introducing JICA’s cooperation in Africa
This production visually and sensually communicated to participants from Japan and abroad the connectivity between the worldviews of TICAD and the Expo, and the keywords of the Expo, such as “co-creation” and “inclusion,” gave further depth to the conference as a whole.
The discussion at TICAD 9 on “Inochi Kaigi: Creating a Future Society with Africa: Achieving the SDGs and Beyond” also resonated deeply with the Expo’s philosophy of “Designing a Future Society that Shines with Life.
The results of this discussion will be carried over to the Inochi Declaration, which will summarize the results of the Inochi Conference, to be presented at the Expo on October 11, 2025.
© Source JICA