Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio may attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) conference in Tunisia in August to discuss the food and energy crisis caused by the Ukrainian situation.

Japan’s Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa said: “We will monitor very closely the situation with regards to the infection caused by COVID-19, but if various circumstances allow, the Prime Minister Kishida will visit Tunisia to participate in TICAD 8.”

“In addition to COVID-19, the surge of food and energy prices caused by the Ukrainian situation is causing a huge impact to the social economic situation in Africa. Therefore, now is the time when international solidarity is necessary more than ever,” Hayashi added. 

The minister said he chaired the TICAD Ministerial Meeting earlier this year and discussed the necessity of cooperation by the international community, regarding the impact that the Ukrainian situation has caused on the African continent.

“At TICAD 8, based upon such discussions at the Ministerial Meeting, TICAD 8 will take various challenges of development in Africa, including reinforcing the area of security, and demonstrate the new direction of African development in the post-corona age.”