Global powers China, the United States and the European Union are fiercely competing to expand their market share in Africa ¡ª the world¡¯s last major economic frontier.

Japan has long been a big supporter of African nations and in 1993 launched the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

More than 20 years after its inception, this year¡¯s TICAD, the sixth, will be held in Africa for the first time, on Aug. 27 and 28.