African heads of state gather in Japan for a conference aimed at fostering development
Japan's Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has proposed the creation of an economic zone encompassing the Indian Ocean region and Africa at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) 2025. The conference, the ninth since 1993, brings together global leaders, including Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyan President William Ruto, and UN head Antonio Guterres, to discuss the future of Africa's development.
Ishiba emphasised Japan's aim to leverage Africa's human and material resources to contribute to its own growth and the prosperity of the world. In addition, he announced Japan's plan to cultivate 30,000 artificial intelligence (AI) experts over the next three years to promote industrial digitalization and job creation.
The economic zone proposal comes as Africa faces a worsening debt and liquidity crisis, a constrained fiscal space for governments, and a deteriorating socio-economic environment, issues that the conference is expected to address. Ramaphosa's office stated that these challenges are exacerbating the socio-economic environment and constraining the fiscal space for governments.
African countries have seen a reduction in Western aid, particularly due to President Donald Trump's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). In contrast, China has invested heavily in Africa over the past decade, with deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars signed for shipping ports, railways, roads, and other projects under Beijing's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative. However, new lending from China is drying up, and African countries are now grappling with a "tidal wave" of debt to both Beijing and international private creditors.
The conference is also expected to discuss possible future free-trade deals, loan guarantees, and investment incentives for Japanese firms. Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren, has urged Tokyo to work to win the trust of developing nations, emphasising the importance of Japan being seen as a trustworthy partner in addressing social issues in the Global South.
The Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, reported in May that Africa presents opportunities due to its young population and natural resources. Ishiba's proposals at TICAD 2025 underscore Japan's commitment to partnering with Africa to overcome its challenges and seize its opportunities for growth and development.
Local media have reported on the expectations for TICAD, with the proposed economic zone and Japan's AI expertise initiatives being key topics of discussion. The conference promises to be a significant step in Japan's engagement with Africa and a potential catalyst for Africa's economic development.
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