TUNIS, Aug 27 — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Saturday pledged US$30 billion over three years for Africa in a virtual address to a development conference in Tunis aiming to counter China’s growing continental influence.
In his opening speech, Tunisian President Kais Saied urged delegates to “search together for ways for African peoples to achieve the hopes and dreams of the first generation after independence”. “To improve the lives of Africans, we will provide up to US$5 billion in co-financing with the African Development Bank,” he said.
Senegalese President Macky Sall, the current chairman of the African Union, paid tribute to Africa’s “partnership” with Japan, praising “concrete results in the agriculture, health, education and water” sectors. Tunis in turn said it would recall its own ambassador from Rabat, pointing to its “total neutrality” on Western Sahara, a territory Rabat sees as an integral part of Morocco.It is the first TICAD — held every three years either in Japan or an African country — since the coronavirus pandemic began.
A slick promotional video said the conference aims to promote “African development led by African people”.