President Mugabe arrived here yesterday to join other African Heads of State and Government attending the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) Summit.
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Japan intends to spend some of the money on boosting Africa’s power generation capacity, training mathematics and science teachers, as well as assisting healthcare experts in developing the skills necessary to tackle outbreaks of disease. He added that Japan would be investing $30 billion in Africa with $10 billion expected to go to infrastructure development.
Accompanied by approximately 200 officials from more than 70 Japanese countries, the trip marked Abe’s first official visit to the continent in over 15 years, proving that Africa was a valuable asset to the eastern nation. Japan also promised it will support Africa in its efforts to secure permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council.
Mr Abe was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (Ticad) in Nairobi on Saturday.
Global money transfer company Dahabshiil has lauded Japan’s efforts to increase investments in Africa noting the inter-regional trade will promote the continent’s development.
“The time has come to make the best of Japan’s capabilities, Japanese companies’ capabilities”, Abe said.
Addressing the conference, he urged the leaders present to “take measures to reduce the cost of doing business in Africa which will include restructuring the public sector and improving their working methods to ensure greater efficiency”.
“What the Japanese desire on the part of Africa is very clear”.
In pledging more support, Japan is competing for influence in the continent with the U.S., China and former European colonial powers such as Britain and France.
“Today’s new pledges will enhance and further expand upon those launched three years ago”.
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Africa’s exports to Japan in 2015 were valued at $8.57 billion, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation, compared with imports worth $11.6 billion.
