Japan Pledges $5.5 Billion In Loan For African Nations

Japan has pledged $5.5 billion in loans for African nations.

The pledge was made at the ongoing ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama City.

According to the Japanese government, $5.5 billion will be arranged through the African Development Bank (AfDB), to advance sustainable development and help tackle Africa’s mounting debt burdens.

Also, Japan has announced plans to train 30,000 Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts over the next three years to boost digital transformation and job creation across the continent.

In a speech at TICAD9, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba unveiled a bold push to deepen ties with Africa by proposing a new “Indian Ocean–Africa economic zone,” aimed at linking economies across the Indian Ocean—including India and the Middle East—with African nations.

Echoing that, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for broader global reforms:

“Africa must have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect its future. That includes long overdue reform of the Security Council, where, incredibly, Africa has no permanent member … and an overhaul of today’s unjust and unfair international financial architecture that must enhance African representation and endorse a strong African voice in the decisions being made.”

Meanwhile, Angola’s President and African Union Chair, João Lourenço, acknowledged the critical financial hurdles facing the continent:

“The African continent continues to face persistent barriers and limited, complex access to international financing … many African countries have been rated as high-risk borrowers, making them barely eligible for low-cost capital. Yet such capital is absolutely essential for investment in infrastructure, electrification, industrialization, and technological advancement.”

TICAD 9, attended by roughly 50 African countries alongside global organizations, is Japan’s latest effort to reclaim influence in Africa as U.S. engagement wanes and China’s presence grows. The summit emphasizes collaboration in economy, peace, health, education, and climate, culminating in a “Yokohama Declaration” to be announced later in the week.

Source:Africa Publicity