by Blue Africa News
New initiative set to redefine Japan’s relationship with Indian Ocean nations and Africa
Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has proposed an economic zone connecting the Indian Ocean to Africa, dubbed the “Economic Region Initiative of Indian Ocean-Africa,” in the Asian nation’s bid to play a greater role in the African continent amid years of American and Chinese influence.
Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Ishiba pledged to strengthen business and investment in the region and promote free trade by connecting the Indian Ocean region to the African continent.
“Japan believes in Africa’s future,” he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan in a follow up statement said the initiative seeks to promote Africa’s regional integration and industrial development in the Indian Ocean-Africa Economic Region.
MOFA noted that the initiative is expected to serve as a key driver of global economic growth, by fostering collaboration between Japan and countries across the Indian Ocean such as India and Middle Eastern countries.
“This initiative is positioned as one of the efforts under the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). It aims to strengthen Japan’s partnerships with African countries and other countries in the Global South, to support Japanese companies in expanding trade and investment from countries across the Indian Ocean to Africa, and to ensure that the resulting benefits also flow back to Japan.”
Ishiba later held bilateral talks with the presidents of several African countries, among them Angola, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
For Kenya, the Japanese government will provide a grant to develop Kenya’s Port of Mombasa, where ongoing infrastructure upgrades saw cargo volumes rise 8% in the first half of this year, with Kenya also set to receive a yen-denominated loan worth US$169 million.
Blue Africa News
