Date & Time: 15 May 2026 (Friday), 17:30–19:00 (JST) / 11:30–13:00 (EAT)

In-person Registration  |  Online Registration

AFRICONVERSE 2026 (Session 2) is a dialogue event that brings together startups, research institutions, policymakers, and development partners to explore innovative solutions for expanding access to healthcare in contexts shaped by distance. The discussion will focus on how digital technologies, including telemedicine, can help strengthen health systems, bridge service gaps, and unlock new opportunities for collaboration between Japan and Africa. As part of the broader TICAD follow-up process, the session aims to identify practical avenues for joint action and co-creation, advancing more inclusive and resilient healthcare systems.

The dialogue builds on the momentum of TICAD9, held in Yokohama in August 2025, where private sector–led growth, digital transformation, and innovation were reaffirmed as central pillars of Japan–Africa cooperation, alongside a shared commitment to the principle of “Leave No One Behind.” AFRI CONVERSE 2026 revisits this principle through a critical lens, examining how geographic distance continues to shape access to essential services and opportunities.

Across Africa, healthcare is a critical foundation for both human well-being and economic activity, yet access remains uneven due to structural challenges, including limited infrastructure, shortages of health professionals, and significant geographic barriers. More than half of the population lives over five kilometers from the nearest health facility, and while the continent carries a disproportionately high share of the global disease burden, it has only a small fraction of the global health workforce. At the same time, advances in mobile and digital health technologies are creating new pathways to address these disparities.

Similar challenges can be seen in Japan, particularly in Okinawa’s remote island communities, where healthcare access is constrained by distance and limited local capacity. Residents often depend on transfers to the main island for specialized care, with thousands of medical evacuations each year underscoring the very real impact of geography on access to services. These parallels highlight a shared need to rethink healthcare delivery models that account for distance not as an exception, but as a defining condition.

By bringing together diverse actors and perspectives, AFRI CONVERSE 2026 (Session 2) will foster dialogue, share experiences, and catalyze partnerships that contribute to ensuring equitable access to healthcare, regardless of where people live.

Date & Time: 15 May 2026 (Friday), 17:30–19:00 (JST) / 11:30–13:00 (EAT)

• Co-organizers: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• In-person venue: JICA Okinawa Center, Multipurpose Hall

  Address: 1143-1, Aza Maeda, Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2552

  Map: https://www.jica.go.jp/english/domestic/okinawa/office/index.html

  Participation Fee: Free

   In-person Registration

• Online participation: Zoom (Zoom links will be sent to registered online participants by the day before the event.)

• Languages: Japanese, English, French (simultaneous interpretation available)

  Online Registration

   

AGENDA

17:30 - 17:35 JST/11:30 - 11.35 EAT　Opening

17:35 - 17:45 JST/11.35 - 11.45 EAT　Congratulatory Remarks

17:45 - 18:05 JST/11.45 - 12.05 EAT　Keynote: “No One Left Behind - Even Across Distance: Africa’s Health Tech Future”

18:05 - 18:55 JST/12.05 - 12.55 EAT　Panel Discussion: “Reimagining Healthcare Access Beyond Distance”

18:55 - 19:00 JST/12.55 - 13.00 EAT　Closing

SPEAKERS (Titles Omitted)

• Toshiyuki Nakamura, Special Advisor to the President, JICA

• Masahiko KIYA, Ambassador in charge of Okinawan Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

• Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa, UNDP

• Kuniyuki Furuta, Founder & CEO, SOIK

• Noudehouenou Credo Adelphe Ahissou, Specially Appointed Researcher, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Global Health, University of the Ryukyus

• Akiko Hagiwara, Senior Advisor (Health), JICA

Moderator:

• Yannick Gayama, Accelerator Programs Lead, Venture Development Section, OIST Innovation

WHAT IS AFRI CONVERSE?

AFRI CONVERSE is a dialogue series launched by UNDP in 2018 in connection with the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Since 2020, the series has been co-organized by UNDP and JICA to share insights on Africa’s development challenges and the responses led by Japan and partner institutions. The dialogues are held quarterly and are open to audiences in both Japan and Africa.

In 2025, a series of sessions were convened in conjunction with TICAD9 in Yokohama, with events hosted at venues including Hiroshima University, Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai, TICAD9, and the United Nations University. In 2026, the series continues to foster dialogue and knowledge-sharing. The second session will take place in Okinawa, exploring how local challenges can be connected with global issues to generate new perspectives and collaboration.

CONTACT

• Ryohei Tanaka, Planning and TICAD Process Division, Africa Department, JICA, Tanaka.Ryohei@jica.go.jp

• Chika Kondoh, TICAD Partnership Specialist, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP, chika.kondoh@undp.org