Tokyo meeting to pursue innovative approaches.

• Position: International Conference on African Development, October 5-6, 1993 - United Nations developments

Delegates to the International Conference on African Development, to be held in Tokyo, Japan, on 5 and 6 October, will seek new and innovative approaches to speed up economic and social progress in that struggling continent.

"For over 30 years, aid and assistance has poured int Africa with seemingly little Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali told the second meeting of the Panel of High-level Personalities on African Development (Rome, 17-18 April), which discussed preparations for the Tokyo meeting.

The current state of affairs could "no longer be tolerated", he said, calling upon the international community to "move away from approaches which have been tried and failed".

The Tokyo Conference, the next step in UN efforts to accomplish African recovery and development, is to address long-term development issues and reach a consensus on priorities and consideration for African development.

It will bring together some 400 high-level representatives of African nations, major donor countries - including Japan, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden - and international organizations, such as the UN Development Programme, the international Monetary Fund, the European Community, the World Bank, and the Organization of African Unity.

The Conference themes are: political and economic reforms; Asian experience and African development; economic development through activities of the private sector; emergency relief and development; and regional cooperation and integration.

The results of the Conference are to be summed up in a Tokyo Declaration - a consensus document entitled African Efforts and international Cooperation for Sustainable Development".

A preparatory meeting for the Conference was held on 17 and 18 March in Tokyo. The first meeting of the Drafting Committee for the Tokyo Declaration took place in New York on 21 and 22 June and a second meeting would be held on 30 and 31 August in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.

The New Agenda

The search for new answers to the economic and social development of Africa can be traced back to 1986 when, at the thirteenth special session of the General Assembly, the UN Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990 was adopted. A landmark UN plan, the Programme outlined specific and far-reaching efforts to accelerate...