From 20 to 22 August 2025, the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) was convened at the PACIFICO Center in Yokohama. The conference was co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shigeru Ishiba, and the President of Angola and current Chairperson of the African Union, Mr. João Lourenço, under the theme “Co-creating Innovative Solutions for Africa.”
The event brought together over 10,000 participants, including heads of state and government, representatives of international organizations, the private and financial sectors, youth delegations, and civil society organizations. The African Disability Forum (ADF) (https://africandisabilityforum.org/) was represented by Mr. Komivi Ayassou, Treasurer of the Executive Council, accompanied by Ms. Adjoa Zewu, his assistant. This participation was made possible with the support of UNDP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Africa-Japan Forum, and DPI Japan.
ADF took part in the official opening ceremony, the welcome dinner, several plenary and thematic sessions, as well as the closing ceremony. Notably, during the thematic session on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ADF delivered a communication entitled “Challenges and Opportunities towards Achieving the SDGs in Relation to Disability Issues in Africa,” which included concrete recommendations.
In addition, ADF attended the TICAD9 preparatory meeting and the CSO wrap-up meeting held before and after the conference, respectively. The mission concluded with a working lunch in Hachioji, Tokyo, with DPI Japan representatives, including Ms. Midori Hirano (President), Ms. Yukiko Nakanishi (Vice President), and Mr. Hiroaki Furihata, who accompanied ADF throughout the mission.
On August 19, prior to the official opening of TICAD9, a special event under the Africa and Culture Series was held on the theme “Connecting Uniqueness: The Future of Co-Creation – Exploring Disability and Development, and DE&I from Africa and Japan.” The event, organized by JICA, featured the participation of ADF, represented by its Program Director, Mrs. Bethelehem Zewde.
The presentation highlighted both the successes and challenges in mainstreaming Disability and Development as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) in Africa and Japan. The Ethiopian delegation also included artist Tesfaye Bekele, a person with a disability and recipient of the 2024 HERALBONY (https://www.heralbony.jp/en) Award.
As part of the program, the delegation visited Atelier Yamanami (http://a-yamanami.jp/), which provided valuable insights into the role of art in the lives of persons with intellectual disabilities. The visit further demonstrated how partnerships with the private sector, such as HERALBONY, can contribute to economic empowerment and help transform the narrative around persons with disabilities.
For the first time, the TICAD final declaration explicitly referenced persons with disabilities, identifying them as a priority within Japan–Africa cooperation for the next three years, particularly in the area of human resource development.
This recognition represents a significant step forward for the disability movement in Africa. ADF and its member organizations now have an important opportunity to intensify advocacy efforts to ensure that this political commitment translates into tangible outcomes for persons with disabilities on the continent.
