G7 Summit

Kishida Visits Ghana, Agrees with Akufo-Addo to Work for U.N. Security Council Reform

AFP-Jiji
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Monday.

By Hiroyuki Umemoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

1:00 JST, May 3, 2023

ACCRA — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo in the capital city of Accra on Monday, and the two leaders agreed to cooperate in strengthening the functioning of the United Nations.

After the meeting, Kishida told reporters that he wanted to “surely connect the voices of Africa to the discussions at the G7 summit.” He also indicated that arrangements have been made for his planned visit to South Korea from Sunday.

Kishida is currently on a trip to four African nations and Singapore. This is part of his diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with the emerging and developing nations collectively known as the Global South ahead of the summit of the Group of Seven advanced nations in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21.

Ghana, the second country Kishida visited after Egypt during his trip, currently serves as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council, as does Japan.

In a joint press conference following the meeting, President Akufo-Addo strongly criticized Russia, saying that there must not be a world in which an act that clearly violates international law — a major country trampling on a small nation — is allowed.

Kishida also emphasized, “Unilateral change of the status quo by force is not acceptable anywhere in the world.”

The two leaders confirmed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law, and agreed to work together to reform the dysfunctional Security Council.

Kishida valued Ghana’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Sahel region, which covers the southern Sahara Desert, and other areas, where the political and security situations are unstable. Kishida expressed his intention for Japan to provide about $500 million (about ¥68.5 billion) in assistance to the Sahel region and other areas over the next three years.

In response to the worsening situation in Sudan, where fighting continues, Kishida also conveyed his intention to Akufo-Addo that Japan would immediately consider emergency humanitarian assistance there.