The First Ministerial meeting of Japan- Africa cooperation shall take place in Cameroon on the 4th through 5th May 20I4.

The meeting to take place in Yaounde, has been organised to evaluate the effectiveness of the Tokyo International

Conference on African Development V and also to chat a way forward for Japan –Africa cooperation.

Discussions during the ministerial meeting shall be held under the following themes” Agriculture, Food and Nutrition, Security” “Post 2015 Development Agenda” and “Empowering Women Youth”.

These themes have been chosen partly because the African Union has proclaimed 2014 as the African Year of Agriculture and Food Security. This brings to the forefront the urgent need to discuss the different hurdles that slow down agricultural development in the continent.

In view of the fact that women constitute a very important workforce, the need to empower them arises that’s why the forth coming meeting shall also delve on issues pertaining to the empowerment of women.

Ahead of the meeting that shall be attended by development partners, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was received in audience by Cameroon’s Prime Minister.

The UN official said most African countries need to get inspiration from Cameroon’s 2035 economic development vision.