AFRICA DEMANDS FOR GLOBAL REFORMS AS JAPAN UNVEILS $5.5BN DEVELOPMENT DEAL

Japan pledges $5.5bn to Africa as leaders push for fairer global representation.

Africa Tcad9 Global representation Finance Reforms Sustainable growth.
TICAD9
TICAD9

African leaders have called for stronger representation in global decision-making structures as Japan and the African Development Bank (AfDB) launched a $5.5 billion financing framework to drive sustainable growth across the continent.

The deal was unveiled on Wednesday during the opening session of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan. It will leverage the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) private sector investment finance to support projects in renewable energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who formally launched the initiative, said Japan’s new approach emphasizes collaboration and private sector-led growth rather than traditional aid. “In creating solutions together, this co-creation at TICAD9 focuses on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa,” Ishiba said.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed the initiative but stressed that Africa must also be given a stronger voice on the global stage. He renewed calls for reforms at the United Nations, particularly within the Security Council, insisting that Africa deserves permanent representation.

“Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto,” Tinubu said. He also urged global partners to adopt investment models that strengthen African economies instead of fostering dependency.

The Yokohama summit highlighted a dual message: Japan’s commitment to reposition itself as a development partner through private investment, and Africa’s growing insistence on equitable participation in shaping global governance.

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