African leaders and their partners ended their three-day Yokohama meeting on African development not only on an optimistic note, underscored by the rather rapid recent economic growth in Africa, but also with awareness of problems the continent faces. These problems include infrastructure, population growth, infectious diseases, climate change, education and health services.
Japan, which took the initiative in launching the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development in 1993 and chaired last week's fourth TICAD, has now been given a better chance and heavier responsibility to help African countries achieve economic growth and improve people's lives.
African countries clearly want private-sector investment to accelerate economic growth. But as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said in his speech, improved infrastructure is a cornerstone of economic development. TICAD participants stressed the importance of developing infrastructure such as road networks, ports and electricity.