Tunisia hosts Japan-Africa cooperation meeting

African heads of state, representatives of international organizations and private business leaders gathered in Tunisia on Saturday for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), a triennial event launched by Japan to promote growth and security in Africa.

Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, food crisis and climate change are among the challenges facing many African countries expected to define the two-day conference.

While 30 African heads of state and government attended the event in Tunis, Tunisia's capital, many key talks are being held remotely, including those involving Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the summit. The conferences now are co-organized with the United Nations, the African Union and the World Bank.