“Japan will nurture 20,000 experts and policymakers to tackle infectious diseases in three years”, Abe also said, referring to the region’s fight against diseases, such as the outbreak of Ebola.
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Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing that the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Sunday, should be a multilateral platform for exchanges and cooperation with the aim of supporting African development.
“We laud Japan and the co-organizers for their continued commitment to Africa’s development, on the basis of the twin principles of Africa’s ownership and worldwide partnership”, Kenyatta said.
Japan has pledged to commit $30 billion in public and private support for infrastructure development, education and healthcare expansion in Africa.
Its organizer, the Japan External Trade Organization, said it was one of the largest such events the government-affiliated business promotion body has held in Africa.
Japan will give $10 billion in infrastructural aid to Africa over the next three years, the country’s leader told a major development summit in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday. The U.S., on the hand, said it would give $14 billion at the U.S. -Africa Leaders Summit in 2014.
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. The nation will work with the African Development Bank to boost private sector investment on the continent struggling with intermittent power outages, dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitation and grinding poverty.
“Japan is a country that ardently hopes to resolve the issues facing Africa and it will not let up in its efforts”, the Prime Minister added.
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He said there is a worrying trend for the developed world to turn inwards, even after benefiting from open trade before.
