Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in cooperation with JST hosted the “Africa-Japan Ministerial Dialogue Meeting on STI for SDGs”, a side event of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VII) held at the InterContinental Yokohama Grand hotel. JST President Dr. Hamaguchi and Counselor to the President Dr. Nakamura attended as distinguished speakers.

The meeting was attended by Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mr. SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. KISHI Teruo, African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology Prof. Sarah Anyang AGBOR, and minsters from several African countries.

Examples of the Japanese government’s “STI for SDGs” initiatives were introduced, including Africa-Japan collaborative technology countermeasures against parasitic plant striga and malaria. Dr. Hamaguchi and Dr. Qhobela, CEO of the National Research Foundation of South Africa, made a presentation on the launch of a new international joint research framework “AJ-CORE: African-Japan Collaborative Research”: a multilateral scheme connecting Japan, South Africa and other African countries based on equal partnership. The scheme will involve stakeholders from all levels of society, bridge gaps between academic disciplines and to industry, and contribute to achieving the SDGs. Dr. Nakamura, who is also a member of the UN 10-Member Group, spoke about the importance of promoting international collaboration in the utilization of science and technology and creating an implementation roadmap to achieve the SDGs.

• 
• 
•