G8 summit to tackle issues of development, Africa

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said on Saturday that Group of Eight (G8) summit in Japan this year would tackle issues related to development and Africa.

The G8 summit, under the theme of development, will take up development issues around the globe, including those in Africa," Fukuda said when addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s annual meeting in the Alpine ski resort.

He said the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) will be held in Yokohama in May to advance discussions on African development.

This year marks the halfway point for the International Community to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the G8 summit will focus on health, Water and Education-related issues, he said.