Japan Proposes Economic Zone Linking Indian Ocean to Africa, Pledges AI Expert Training

Japan proposes 'economic zone' linking Indian Ocean to Africa, seeks greater role in the region

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday proposed an economic zone connecting the Indian Ocean to Africa as the country seeks to play a greater role in the African continent while America's presence there decreases and China's influence rapidly grows. Ishiba, kicking off the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), 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," Ishiba said. "Japan backs the concept of African Continental Free Trade Area," which aims to bolster the region's competitiveness. This year's summit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war and drastic cuts in foreign-aid programs have negatively affected development projects in Africa. Meanwhile, China has been expanding its foothold in the area since 2000 through infrastructure building and loan projects. The three-day summit in Yokohama, near Tokyo, is focusing on the economy as well as peace and stability, health, climate change and education. Leaders and representatives from about 50 countries from the African continent, as well as officials from international organizations, are attending. Japan launched TICAD in 1993. It was last held in Tunisia in 2022. "Africa must have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect its future," United Nation's Secretary-General António Guterres, said at the event, adding that African nations are underrepresented in the international community and its decision-making process. Under the Indian Ocean Africa economic zone initiative, Japan aims to bring investment into Africa from Japanese companies operating in India and the Middle East. Ishiba said Japan will extend loans of up to $5.5 billion in coordination with African Development Bank to promote Africa's sustainable development to address their debt problems. He also said Japan aims to provide support to train 30,000 artificial intelligence experts over the next three years to promote digitalization and create jobs. Guterres said "unjust and unfair international financial architecture" must enhance African representation and endorse a strong African voice in the decision-making process, adding that building AI capacity in developing countries in Africa would help ease digital divide in the region. Those present at the summit are expected to adopt a "Yokohama declaration" Friday and Ishiba will announce the outcome at a news conference. ___ Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. AP writer Reeno Hashimoto in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Japan hosts African leaders for development conference

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) - Japan hosted African leaders on Wednesday for a three-day development conference, offering itself as an alternative to China as the continent reels from a debt crisis exacerbated by Western aid cuts, conflict and climate change. Attendees at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) included Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, William Ruto of Kenya and UN head Antonio Guterres. "The debt and liquidity crisis on the African continent is worsening the challenging socio-economic environment and constraining the fiscal space for governments to cast a safety net over its citizens," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement. China has invested heavily in Africa over the past decade, with its companies there signing deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars to finance shipping ports, railways, roads and other projects under Beijing's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative. But new lending is drying up, and developing countries are now grappling with a "tidal wave" of debt to both Beijing and international private creditors, the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, said in May. African countries have also seen Western aid slashed, in particular through President Donald Trump's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). TICAD was expected to touch on possible future free-trade deals between Japan and African nations, loan guarantees and investment incentives for Japanese firms, local media reported. However, Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren, warned that Tokyo must work to win the trust of developing nations. "By actively contributing to solving the social issues faced by countries in the Global South, Japan must be chosen as a trustworthy partner," Keidanren said in a policy recommendation in June. Africa presents opportunities with its young population and natural resources, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters on Tuesday. "We will be discussing how we may leverage these human and material resources as a source of vitality and connect them to Japan's growth and the prosperity of the world," he said. "Rather than focusing on our own needs, we want to carefully identify the needs of our partners and earn their trust, thereby fulfilling our role as a nation," Ishiba said. Ishiba was set to propose at the conference -- the ninth since 1993 -- an "economic zone" encompassing the Indian Ocean region and Africa, Kyodo News reported. Japan will pledge to cultivate 30,000 artificial intelligence experts over the next three years to promote industrial digitalisation and job creation, Kyodo said.

Japan proposes 'economic zone' linking Indian Ocean to Africa, seeks greater role in the region

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday proposed an economic zone connecting the Indian Ocean to Africa as the country seeks to play a greater role in the African continent while America's presence there decreases and China's influence rapidly grows. Ishiba, kicking off the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), 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," Ishiba said. "Japan backs the concept of African Continental Free Trade Area," which aims to bolster the region's competitiveness. This year's summit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war and drastic cuts in foreign-aid programs have negatively affected development projects in Africa. Meanwhile, China has been expanding its foothold in the area since 2000 through infrastructure building and loan projects. The three-day summit in Yokohama, near Tokyo, is focusing on the economy as well as peace and stability, health, climate change and education. Leaders and representatives from about 50 countries from the African continent, as well as officials from international organizations, are attending. Japan launched TICAD in 1993. It was last held in Tunisia in 2022. "Africa must have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect its future," United Nation's Secretary-General António Guterres, said at the event, adding that African nations are underrepresented in the international community and its decision-making process. Under the Indian Ocean Africa economic zone initiative, Japan aims to bring investment into Africa from Japanese companies operating in India and the Middle East. Ishiba said Japan will extend loans of up to $5.5 billion in coordination with African Development Bank to promote Africa's sustainable development to address their debt problems. He also said Japan aims to provide support to train 30,000 artificial intelligence experts over the next three years to promote digitalization and create jobs. Guterres said "unjust and unfair international financial architecture" must enhance African representation and endorse a strong African voice in the decision-making process, adding that building AI capacity in developing countries in Africa would help ease digital divide in the region. Those present at the summit are expected to adopt a "Yokohama declaration" Friday and Ishiba will announce the outcome at a news conference. ___ Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. AP writer Reeno Hashimoto in Tokyo contributed to this report.