Tokyo: AfricUpdate – News Desk
Japan and African nations agreed Friday to cooperate in realizing a “stable supply and responsible development” of critical minerals in the resource-rich continent amid growing global moves to ensure economic security. A joint statement adopted at an aid conference on Africa also stressed the importance of appropriate debt management and the rule of law, apparently taking into consideration China’s growing economic and military clout.
“Given the global demand for critical minerals, we advocate for a fair and equitable partnership that supports local processing and value addition of these resources within Africa,” the declaration issued at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development said. Japan and African leaders also vowed to “co-create innovative and lasting solutions” to enable Africa to “achieve structural transformation and address the current economic insecurity, human insecurity, inequality challenges.”
The conference was held as Japan, as well as other major global powers as China, sees Africa with its fast-growing economies and rising young population as a promising investment destination for domestic firms. “We will work to expand investment for the future of Africa, boost industrial cooperation and cultivate human resources, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a co-chair of the conference,” told a press conference.
The Japan-led gathering took place in Yokohama amid intensifying competition for access to key minerals including rare earths. Critical minerals are seen as essential for innovation and decarbonization, with cobalt, for instance, used for electric vehicle batteries Noting the lack of adequate development financing and the high debt servicing cost facing African countries, the declaration stressed the need for strengthening “debt management capacity and enhancing debt transparency.”
China has been expanding its influence with large investment but also faces criticism for alleged “debt-trap diplomacy” toward developing countries, using loans as leverage to gain concessions from borrowers. The leaders took “good note” of Japan’s initiative of a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” a vision that emphasizes the importance of the rule of law, amid Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the East and South China seas, with the same expression used in declarations issued in the past two meetings.
The conference also came at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as well as his policy to dismantle America’s foreign-aid program casts a shadow over the African economy. In the declaration, the leaders vowed to continue promoting regional integration and connectivity through the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to boost the region’s competitiveness by removing tariffs and standardizing rules within the bloc.
While warning that “increasing trade protectionism” is limiting Africa’s access to international markets, the leaders vowed to make efforts to boost trade within the area by strengthening the private sector and incorporate its value chains into global supply chains. As for U.N. Security Council reforms, which Japan has long sought with its desire to become a permanent member, the leaders reaffirmed support for “full African representation” in the body.
Among other pledges in the declaration are ensuring people in Africa access to basic medical services, facilitating mutual exchanges between African and Japanese youths, and improving agriculture and food systems. Attended by leaders and representatives from about 50 African states, discussions during the three-day conference focused on three agendas, peace and stability, economic issues, and social issues.
The TICAD talks are co-hosted by the Japanese government, the United Nations, the U.N. Development Program, the World Bank and the African Union Commission. The conference was held every five years from its launch in 1993 until 2013, when it switched to being held every three years.
