Kishida vows $30 billion over next 3 years for Africa as China and Russia loom
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Aug. 27 pledged $30 billion (4 trillion yen) over the next three years for African development, with a focus on investing in human capital and fostering quality growth in a continent where China and Russia are exerting their influence.
In his online speech to the latest round of the international conference on African development known as TICAD, Kishida stressed that Japan will grow together with Africa, differentiating Tokyo’s approach from that of China, which critics say has been burdening poor nations with huge debts related to infrastructure projects.
Participants of TICAD, or the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, covered a range of pressing issues confronting the continent, often called the last frontier for growth.
The agenda items include how to cope with the unfolding food crisis, worsened by disrupted grain shipments and soaring food prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The conference was hosted by Tunisia. (Kyodo)
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