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Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says Japan’s public and private sectors will invest 30 billion dollars over the next three years to support growth in Africa.
In an online address to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development or TICAD on Saturday, Kishida said Africa is a continent that is young, filled with hope and dynamic.
He referred to the fact that Africa is projected to make up a quarter of the world’s population by 2050.
Kishida co-chairs the meeting but was unable to travel to Tunisia where the conference is being held as he is recovering from coronavirus.
He said Japan wants to partner with countries on the continent, to grow together and achieve a robust Africa with a Japanese approach of focusing on people.
He said Japan plans to invest 4 billion dollars on the development of green energy, including expanding the use of renewable energy, and that it will also facilitate investment aimed at supporting startups.
In addition, Kishida said Japan will provide up to 5 billion dollars in loans, including fresh funds earmarked for restructuring loans to invest in infrastructure to improve people’s lives.
He also said Japan will train 300,000 skilled workers over the next three years in a wide range of areas, including industry, health, medical care, education and agriculture.
Referring to the invasion of Ukraine, Kishida said Russia is undermining the foundation of the international order. He said if the world gives up on order-based rules and accepts unilateral change of the status quo, it will impact Africa and the rest of the world.
Kishida said Japan will provide 300 million dollars in fresh loans to strengthen the food production system, saying Africa’s food shortages have become more severe as exports of grain from Ukraine have been disrupted.
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