28 August 2025 – Yokohama, Japan

Thematic discussions on Advancing the “Africa Clean Air Programme” through Africa-Asia Collaboration took place at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9) in Yokohama, Japan, on 21 August 2025. Co-organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP), the event brought together more than 80 participants, including participants from Burkina Faso, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uganda, to foster Africa-Asia collaboration on air quality solutions.

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The Africa Clean Air Programme and Country Spotlights

Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Kentaro Doi, Vice Minister of MOEJ, and Dr. Peter Justice Dery of Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, who highlighted Asia’s leadership in tackling air pollution and potential for cross-regional learning. A first panel focused on the “Africa Clean Air Programme”, with country spotlights from Senegal and South Africa. Ms. Fatou Ndiaye, from the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Senegal, shared Senegal’s work on cross-sector coordination for air quality, while Ms. Ricca Marowe, from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, South Africa, outlined South Africa’s progress in strengthening national air quality management services.

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Learning from Asia’s Experience

The second panel, “Asia to Africa,” emphasized how Asia’s experience in air quality management could support Africa’s emerging frameworks. Contributions included insights from Clean Air Asia on cooperative action, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on capacity development, and Thailand’s Pollution Control Department on lessons learned from Thailand’s journey toward cleaner air, including recommendations on the role of low-cost air quality monitoring sensors to supplement regulatory stations.

Mr. Kohei Muto of the Japanese consulting firm Double Feather Partners Inc. highlighted innovative financing mechanisms for clean air and sustainable mobility, bridging environmental and economic goals.

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EANET’s Expertise in Air Quality Monitoring and Regional Cooperation

Dr. Akie Yuba of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research, the Network Center for the EANET, presented EANET and its Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Network (HAQMN), which aims to combine traditional reference sensors and low-cost sensors (LCS) to enhance real-time, accessible air quality data across the region. The session also underscored EANET’s 25 years of experience in regional monitoring, data sharing, and capacity building across East Asia.

Participants noted that EANET’s proven cooperative and standardized framework could serve as a valuable reference for the African Region as it considers developing regional mechanisms for air quality management. The discussion reinforced the importance of international collaboration in establishing robust monitoring networks and promoting technology transfer.

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Regional Cooperation and Path Forward

The third panel addressed broader regional and global cooperation. Speakers explored financing mechanisms, leapfrogging opportunities for pollution-free development, and synergistic solutions linking air pollution and climate change. The dialogue emphasized South-South and Triangular Cooperation, with Asia’s experience offering support for African countries’ path forward and vice versa.

The event ended with a networking reception, which convened over 60 participants, with delegations from Cabo Verde, Egypt, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda, engaging with Japanese stakeholders and partners.

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Access EANET’s Air quality data

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Photo credits: cover photo of Yamashita Park, 279 Yamashitachō, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, by Yanhao Fang (2025); all other images, all rights reserved to MOEJ.