Diplomacy toward Africa: Utilize Japan’s Strengths to Support Development of the Region

Editorial

15:00 JST, August 26, 2024

Although Africa has great potential, many countries in the region still face such issues as political instability and poverty. Japan should utilize its strengths to help Africa’s development, including support for medical care and education.

A ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), a framework for supporting Africa led by Japan, has been held in Tokyo. The purpose of the meeting was to prepare for the framework’s summit-level gathering to be held in Yokohama in August next year.

At the ministerial meeting, whose participants included Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and her counterparts from 47 countries, it was reaffirmed that cooperation will be promoted in the three areas of society, peace and stability, and the economy.

As a new initiative, a session bringing together Japanese and African businesses and investors was held to discuss investment in and business expansion into Africa.

The population of the African continent is expected to grow from the current 1.5 billion to over 2.4 billion in 2050. Africa is rich in natural resources such as oil and minerals and is called the “last frontier” of the global economy.

However, with the exception of countries such as South Africa and Nigeria, many African nations are not self-sufficient in food and rely on imports. In some areas, education and medical care are inadequate due to financial difficulties.

A recent outbreak of the infectious disease mpox, also known as monkeypox, has caused many deaths in central Africa lately.

Japanese companies are likely to hesitate amid these circumstances, no matter how actively the government calls for them to start businesses or invest in Africa.

It is an urgent task of the government to develop the business environment in Africa.

In anticipation of population growth, training in agricultural technology must be improved to increase productivity. Another idea is to improve health conditions by establishing a telemedicine system that allows patients to receive medical examinations even in vast land areas.

The government should strengthen assistance tailored to local needs by cooperating with volunteer groups that are engaged in medical, educational and other support activities across Africa.

In recent years, countries such as Russia and China have been trying to strengthen their relations with African countries in anticipation of the region’s growth. Japan established TICAD in 1993 and has supported the nation-building of African countries. The trust that has been cultivated over the years is a valuable diplomatic asset for Japan.

Two years ago, many African countries abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions condemning Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. This was probably influenced by the fact that many countries in Africa are dependent on Russia for food and arms. There must also have been opposition to the Western-led international order.

If a major power is allowed to seize territory by force, Africa could also be plunged into a crisis. It is important for Japan to stress the importance of the rule of law.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 26, 2024)