President John Mahama is leaving Paris France today, Thursday, for the Japanese city of Yokohama to attend the 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). The June 1 to 3 Conference is bringing together a number of African leaders as Japan promotes dialogue and mobilises support for Africa's development initiatives. Launched in 1993, TICAD has evolved into a major global framework for the facilitation of initiatives promoting African development under the "dual principle of African ownership and international partnership". Accompanying the President is his wife, Lordina, who will join other first Ladies in a number of programmes including a symposium on HIV & AIDS and eliminating Mother to Child Transmission. Finance Minister Seth Terkper and Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh are also expected to join the President in Yokohama.