CEO Furuta to Join Panel at AFRI CONVERSE 2026, Co-hosted by JICA and UNDP
- 13 時間前
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We are pleased to announce that Kuniyuki Furuta, Founder & CEO of SOIK, will speak at AFRI CONVERSE 2026 #2, an interactive seminar co-organized by JICA and UNDP. Held under the theme "Designing a World Without Distance: Delivering on 'Leave No One Behind' from Okinawa to Africa," the session will explore concrete partnerships to advance innovation in the health sector and improve access to healthcare. Furuta will join the panel discussion "Reimagining Healthcare Access Beyond Distance" to share SOIK's work on maternal and child digital health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Details and registration are below.
AFRI CONVERSE 2026 #2 Designing a World Without Distance: Delivering on “Leave No One Behind” from Okinawa to Africa
Event Details
Date: Friday, 15 May 2026
Time: 17:30–19:00 (JST) / 11:30–13:00 (EAT)
Venue: JICA Okinawa Center, Multipurpose Hall (Hybrid / Zoom Online Streaming Available)
At TICAD9, held in Yokohama in August 2025, private‑sector–led growth, digital transformation, and innovation were reaffirmed as key pillars of Japan–Africa cooperation. The conference also underscored the importance of building inclusive and resilient societies under the principle of “Leave No One Behind.” AFRI CONVERSE 2026 (Session 2) revisits this principle through the lens of disparities created by distance.
In Africa, healthcare is a critical foundation supporting people’s lives and economic activities. At the same time, the continent faces persistent challenges such as limited access to medical services, shortages of health professionals, and insufficient infrastructure. Geographic distance poses a significant barrier, particularly in rural areas, landlocked countries, and island states. More than half of the population lives over 5 km from the nearest health facility, and while the region bears approximately 24% of the global disease burden, it has only about 3% of the world’s health workforce—illustrating deep structural inequities. Meanwhile, advances in mobile technology, telemedicine, and digital health are emerging as promising solutions.
These challenges are not unrelated to Japan. In Okinawa, especially in its remote island communities, medical resources are limited, and access to advanced healthcare often requires transport to the main island. Many islands rely on minimal medical capacity, and more than 2,000 medical evacuations take place annually, demonstrating how geography directly affects healthcare access. These issues mirror those seen in Africa, highlighting the need to redesign healthcare systems that assume distance as a given condition.
Against this backdrop, this dialogue event aims to explore opportunities for innovation and co‑creation in the healthcare sector. Startups, research institutions, policymakers, and development partners will discuss ways to expand healthcare access through telemedicine and digital technologies, and to strengthen collaboration between Japan and Africa.
As part of TICAD follow‑up, the event seeks to identify concrete avenues for joint action between Japan and Africa, with the goal of ensuring inclusive healthcare access that is not constrained by distance.
<Overview>
• 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)
• Format: Hybrid
In-person venue: JICA Okinawa Center, Multipurpose Hall
Address: 1143-1, Aza Maeda, Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2552
Online participation: Zoom
Zoom links will be sent to registered online participants by the day before the event.
• Participation Fee: Free
• Languages: Japanese, English, French (simultaneous interpretation available)
• Registration: In-person Registration Online Registration
<Programme>
17:30 ～ 17:35 Opening
17:35 ～ 17:45 Congratulatory Remarks
17:45 ～ 18:05 Leaving No One Behind Across Distance: The Future of Health Tech in Africa
18:05 ～ 18:55 Panel Discussion: “Reimagining Healthcare Access Beyond Distance”
18:55 ～ 19:00 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
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