The event, which was part of the Yokohama International Forum 2020, was a great success. Our Tokyo Regional Secretary Pro. Hanai and I (JSAS President Ssali) had a very big and engaging audience. We both made the case that our hosts, Citizens' Network for TICAD, were on the right truck and need all the support they can get to convince policy makers to start thinking seriously about making the TICAD process more relevant to the common man in Africa. Doctor Hanai and I argued in similar terms that while TICAD gets engaged in diplomatic niceties, the negative impact of blood minerals in DR Congo, and patronage, clientelism and corruption in Uganda, respectively, continue to bite hard at the core of the common man's daily life in these and other African countries.

Yokohama International Forum took place over two days, Saturday 15 February, and Sunday 16th February 2020, with over 50 presentations and other events. We were glad to have been able to represent JSAS in this particular event which aimed at re-defining Africa-Japan relationships including TICAD in the wider context of emerging relationships between Africa and Asia.