Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO Hisashi joined Tunisian Health Minister Dr. Mustapha Ferjani at La Rabta Hospital on Monday for the handover ceremony of Japanese medical equipment to 23 hospitals in Tunisia, part of Japan’s grant aid project “Economic and Social Development Program,” Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.

A training program to share Japanese and Tunisian knowledge in the fields of cardiology with African countries is scheduled to start this year and Matsumoto, as part of his visit to Tunisia, was also shown the department related to the program. 

The cooperation programs are expected to contribute not only the improvement of the medical environment in Tunisia but also the enhancement of Africa’s capabilities in the field of health and medicine.

Matsumoto also paid a courtesy call on Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti. The two ministers agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations through events such as the Osaka-Kansai Expo and 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) this year, as well as the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026. Matsumoto requested the participation of the President of the Republic at TICAD 9 to be held in Yokohama in August this year.

Matsumoto also met with Mohamed Ben Ayed, Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, and outlined Japan’s efforts to work with African countries to co-create solutions to various issues at TICAD 9.

Matsumoto expressed his hope that bilateral cooperation would further deepen on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year. 

Both sides also exchanged views on cooperation in the international arena, including UN Security Council reform, as well as on the situation in the Middle East.