Japan has proposed an economic zone connecting the Indian Ocean to Africa, aiming to strengthen business and investment in the region and promote free trade. The initiative, launched by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, seeks to bolster Africa’s competitiveness.
The move comes as the US reduces its presence in Africa and China expands its influence. Ishiba pledged to provide up to $5.5 billion in loans to African Development Bank to promote sustainable development and address debt problems. He also announced plans to train 30,000 artificial intelligence experts over three years to drive digitalization and job creation.
The proposal is part of Japan’s efforts to play a greater role in the region as it seeks to strengthen its partnerships with African nations. The summit aims to focus on economic growth, peace, stability, health, climate change, and education, bringing together leaders from around 50 countries and international organizations.
Japan has been involved in regional development initiatives since 1993, with the last TICAD conference held in Tunisia in 2022. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for Africa to have a stronger voice in shaping its future, highlighting the importance of building AI capacity to bridge the digital divide.
The proposed economic zone initiative is expected to bring investment into Africa from Japanese companies operating in India and the Middle East, aiming to promote regional growth and cooperation. The outcome will be announced at a news conference by Ishiba, who has pledged Japan’s commitment to supporting Africa’s development.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/japan-africa-summit-aid-us-china-93ea8610e82963ee17e64241d01885b7