Press Conference: Sisi talk digital transformation, youth, African women role after TICAD7

Yokohama – 30 August 2019: TICAD 7 summit held in Yokohama came to an end on Friday, with both President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Japanese Prime Minister Shenzo Abe holding a joint press conference to highlight the conference outcomes, and further steps to support Africa’s business environment to achieve economic integration in the continent.

In response to a question by Egypt Today on the importance of digital transformation to develop the economic environment in Africa, President Sisi said that “the continent has given great attention to this dimension through cooperation with partners, and moved on to reach a real infrastructure through digital transformation, in which the world has advanced us.”




Sisi further stressed the importance of providing sustainable employment opportunities for young Africans, who represent 65% of the continent’s population.

“There are more than 55 countries in the continent, and there are links between them in different fields, like electric connectivity, rail, roads, ports or even by airlines,” he added.

President Sisi also said that Egypt has taken further steps towards the field of digital transformation, aiming to reach a decent level of digitization in Egypt.

Sisi referred to the Agreement for the African Free Trade Area (AfCTA), which came into force, pointing out that the continent is on the path of continental economic integration, which will help reduce many prices of goods and services, and increase the competitiveness of the African continent at the global level.

He added that the continent’s efforts in the field of sustainable development is aimed at providing sustainable job opportunities to the youth, who represent 65% of the continent’s population.

In another question on the role of African women in the society, President Sisi said that there was a great deal of interest with regard to women not only in policies, but also in the operational procedures concerning their participation in African society in general.


Joint press conference after TICAD7 in Yokohama - Nourhan Magdi /Egypt Tocay

“He also stressed that in Egypt the role of women is growing very, very significantly, and this comes within the framework of a real understanding of the importance of the role of women in Africa and in our region,” Sisi said.

During the press conference, President Sisi said that TICAD7 reflects the high level of the strategic partnership between African Union countries and Japan, which is one of the distinguished partnerships in the modern world and contributes to achieving mutual benefits between the parties of this partnership.

“TICAD7 represents a great achievement for all parties in providing a platform for direct dialogue between the public and private sectors and its focus on a number of issues of importance and priority for the African Union, especially the sectors of infrastructure, industry, agriculture, health, and applications of modern technology, as well as issues of peace and security,” President Sisi added.

He further stressed the continuation of joint cooperation between the African union and Japan, and all the organizing partners of TICAD to ensure the implementation of the outcomes of the summit in order to achieve the hopes and aspirations of the peoples of the African continent.

“The African Union and Japan, working together to strengthen that partnership to better reflect the needs of our African continent and the ownership of its development agenda, especially as our peoples and children inside and outside the African continent look to our summit, hoping to accomplish a lot and reflect its results a reality that will benefit of positive results,” he continued.

He also ensured “the importance of continuing the process of supporting the development of comprehensive and sustainable development in the African continent through its three pillars and the plan of implementation of the Yokohama Declaration and the need for effective follow-up mechanisms to achieve the African development vision in accordance with the African Union's development agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

At the start of the conference, Shinzo Abe said that the eighth TICAD Summit in 2022 will be held on African soil.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered a speech in which he thanked all those who contributed to the success and organization of the summit, noting the participation of twice the number in Yokohama. Abe also announced that the eighth TICAD summit in 2022 will be held on an African soil.