Ishiba Begins Holding Talks with Top-Level Officials from African Nations during TICAD 9

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:32 JST, August 21, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is holding a series of talks with top-level officials from African nations attending the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), aiming to strengthen ties with those countries.

During the conference, he plans to hold talks with top-level officials from 33 African nations, as well as leaders of international organizations.

Ishiba held talks with 15 top-level officials on Wednesday. He made efforts to capture their attention by referring to his experiences in Africa and the personal interests of his counterparts during the 15- to 30-minute meetings.

For example, in his meeting with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Ishiba shared his experience of visiting the country about 25 years ago, saying he was very impressed by the country’s potential for significant development.

During talks with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, Ishiba praised Lourenco as “a karateka known for valuing discipline.”

According to a senior Foreign Ministry official, Ishiba revised the draft of his keynote speech for the opening ceremony multiple times, suggesting that he places great emphasis on TICAD diplomacy.

During Wednesday’s meetings, he focused on strengthening ties with African nations by promoting the realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and greater economic cooperation.