The Japan-led Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 9, closed Friday by adopting a joint communique that reaffirms the importance of multilateral trade to counter global protectionist moves.
The Yokohama Declaration included a plan to strengthen links between Africa and the Indo-Pacific region, in line with a new economic initiative Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba put forward Wednesday.
The communique adopted mainly by Japanese and African leaders emphasized proposals to solve problems facing African states, apparently reflecting Japan's wish to highlight a different approach to that of China, which has expanded its influence in Africa.
The three-day conference, which started in Yokohama on Wednesday to discuss measures to support African states, was co-hosted by the Japanese government and global organizations such as the United Nations.
"We will work further to expand investments for the future of Africa, enhance industrial cooperation and develop human resources," Ishiba, who served as co-chair, said at a joint news conference.
"We want to contribute to the regional integration of the continent and its industrial development together with countries in the Indo-Pacific region," the prime minister said of his initiative.
The high tariff policies of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have impacted African countries. "We reaffirm the importance of the rules-based and open multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core," the declaration emphasized. It also highlighted the need to boost cooperation for the success of the WTO ministerial conference to be held in Cameroon in 2026.
"We also stress the importance of connectivity with other regions such as the Indo-Pacific region," while continuing "to promote regional integration and connectivity through the African Continental Free Trade Area," the leaders said in the declaration.
"We take good note of the initiative of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific as announced by Japan," they added.
In consideration of China's "debt trap" strategy of increasing its influence by saddling developing countries with huge debts, the declaration said that "we note with deep concern the significant increase in Africa's total debt stocks over the past decade."
The leaders also underlined "the need for strengthening debt management capacity and enhancing debt transparency."
"We recognize the importance of co-creating an enabling environment to drive the digital transformation of Africa and stress the need for effective and responsible governance and utilization of digital and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence," it said.
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