TICAD きょう横浜よこはまで開幕かいまく 石破いしば首相しゅしょう 新しん経済けいざい圏けん構想こうそう打うち出だす方針ほうしん

TICAD Tokyo International Conference on African Development will open on the 20th in Yokohama City.

Prime Minister Ishiba has unveiled a plan to position the region stretching from India through the Middle East to Africa as a new economic zone, and intends to hold individual meetings with the leaders of various countries to strengthen relationships.

The international conference TICAD, led by the Japanese government, will be held in Yokohama for three days starting on the 20th, with Prime Minister Ishiba and leaders from African countries in attendance.

Prime Minister Ishiba stated on the 19th, I would like to discuss how we can connect Africas human and material resources to Japans growth and the prosperity of the world, in a way that benefits both Japan and Africa.

Prime Minister Ishiba plans to launch the Indian Ocean–Africa Economic Zone Initiative, which positions the region stretching from India through the Middle East to Africa as a new economic zone.

In addition, it is expected that they will announce their intention to collaborate with research labs at the University of Tokyo Graduate School, JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency, and universities in Africa, with the aim of developing 30,000 AI professionals over the next three years.

At the conference, discussions will be held on the themes of society in addition to peace and stability and the economy. On the final day, the Yokohama Declaration, which includes the outcomes of the conference, will be adopted, and Prime Minister Ishiba and others are scheduled to hold a joint press conference.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Ishiba plans to hold individual meetings with the leaders of more than 30 countries during this period, with the intention of strengthening relationships through transparent development cooperation and other means, keeping in mind that countries such as China and Russia are deepening their ties with Africa.

TICAD, or the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, is an international conference that has been led by the Japanese government since 1993.

Currently, it is held once every three years, and it serves as a forum where leaders from African countries, international organizations, and representatives from companies widely discuss economic cooperation with Japan, development assistance, and various issues facing Africa.

TICAD was initially launched with a focus on development assistance, as Japan sought to strengthen its ties with Africa at a time when large-scale aid from developed countries was shrinking due to the end of the Cold War.

Afterwards, as African countries achieved economic development due to factors such as the surge in natural resource prices, the theme shifted from aid to investment, and attention began to focus on Africa as an investment destination, with an emphasis on expanding business opportunities for private companies.

Amidst this situation, countries such as China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia have also started to hold a series of international conferences with Africa in an effort to tap into Africas growth.

Of these, China has been strengthening its ties by holding the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, also known as the Chinese version of TICAD, every three years since 2000, and continuing to provide infrastructure development and massive loans.

Russia has also been trying to increase its presence by holding economic conferences with Africa since 2019, and especially since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, as its confrontation with the West has intensified, it has been placing greater importance on its relationship with Africa.

On the other hand, since President Trump took office in the United States this January, foreign aid has been drastically reduced, and in places that have depended on such aid, various activities have come to a halt due to financial difficulties.

As China, Russia, and other countries strengthen their ties with Africa, Japan faces the challenge in this ninth TICAD of deepening public-private partnerships and promoting investment by Japanese companies, as well as further strengthening its relationship with Africa.

Africas Economic Growth In Africa, economic growth is progressing due to increasing demand for natural resources and the expansion of the consumer market amid rapid population growth.

According to the World Bank, in sub-Saharan Africa last year, the GDP per capita was about $1,500, which is roughly double compared to around 30 years ago when TICAD began.

At 5%, it ranks 5th, with African countries occupying the top positions.

On the other hand, in Africa, risks caused by climate change such as droughts, as well as high unemployment rates, rising poverty, and inflation are major issues, and addressing these challenges is crucial for further economic growth.

Aid from developed countries is also on the decline. Regarding investment of funds into Africa, China has regularly held the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation with African countries since 2000, and under the massive economic zone initiative Belt and Road, it has expanded its influence through infrastructure construction and large-scale loans.

However, according to a summary by the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University in the United States, due to factors such as the slowdown of the Chinese economy, the amount of loans, which peaked at approximately $28.82 billion in 2016, decreased to just over $4.6 billion—about one-sixth of the peak—two years ago.

On the other hand, aid from developed countries to Africa is also on the decline.

Under the Trump administration, it has been pointed out that the operations of USAID—the United States Agency for International Development, which oversees foreign aid—have been suspended, and this is having a significant impact on assistance efforts.

In Japan as well, this year’s ODA Official Development Assistance budget is 566.4 billion yen, which is about half of the peak in fiscal year 1997.

Amidst this situation, what continues to increase is private sector investment.

Direct investment from overseas into the whole of Africa is on the rise, and according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, last year it was approximately 97 billion dollars, which is over 14 trillion yen.

JETRO Japan External Trade Organization says, Economic cooperation with Africa, where population growth, economic development, and abundant resources are expected, is becoming increasingly important for Japanese companies.

He commented, For Africa as well, as the amount of aid decreases, the development of private investment and startups that contribute to solving important social issues such as public health, environmental problems, education, and human resource development in Africa is crucial.