Kishida to Visit 4 African Nations before G-7 Summit

Jiji Press

16:50 JST, April 12, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to visit Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique during Japan’s Golden Week holiday period between late April and early May, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Tuesday.

Kishida apparently hopes to strengthen ties with the so-called Global South, or emerging and developing countries mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, ahead of a summit of the Group of Seven major democracies that he hosts in the western Japan city of Hiroshima starting May 19.

It will be Kishida’s first trip to any African country since he took office in October 2021.

He was scheduled to visit Tunisia in August last year to attend an African development conference, but the plan was canceled as he contracted COVID-19. He attended the conference online.

Matsuno told a news conference that Kishida will hold talks with leaders of major African countries and reiterate his determination to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law.

“It will be of great significance to host the [G7] summit after confirming cooperation on the Ukraine conflict and efforts for regional peace and stability,” Matsuno said.

Cooperation with the Global South is high on the agenda of the G7 summit.