Arab News Japan

Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa met his Tunisian counterpart Othman Jerandi on Friday ahead of the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-8), according to the Ministry of foreign affairs, migration and Tunsians abroad.

The pair discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, reviewed aspects of relations between Japan and Tunisia, including ways to develop them in various fields.

During the meeting, Jerandi hailed the deep-rooted ties that bind the two countries, stressing on the need to optimizethese bilateral relations to establish integrated partnerships.

Jerandi outlined the programs and projects that Tunisia and Japan are collaboratively cooperating on during the upcoming period, while emphasizing the importance of establishing new mechanisms of cooperation that are capable of transforming the opportunities available in  various fields into concrete strategic partnerships, particularly in promising sectors that include high technological advancements.

He also highlighted the need to facilitate bilateral financial cooperation, which have enabled the country to fund many development projects over the past decades.

Jerandi said that the two countries share common democratic values and respect for human rights, then briefly explained the recent developments in Tunisia, the reforms in progress and the adoption of a new constitution, noting that the parliamentary elections that are set to take place on December 17 will lead to the establishment of a democratic system that reflects the will of the Tunisian people.

Hayashi affirmed the depth of the distinguished relations between the two countries and Japan’s keenness to enhance and develop bilateral cooperation within various fields. He also expessed his admiration for Tunisia’s history, the level of education present amongst the Tunisian youth, which make it capable of progressing forward towards the path of creativity and innovation, adding that Tunisia’s geographical location makes it a major gateway for economic cooperation and trade exchange on a regional level.

Hayashi commended the comprehensive reforms undertaken by Tunisia despite the difficulty associated with the process and the critical regional and international situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the repercussions of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

He stressed on Japan’s determination to continue supporting Tunisia through strengthening bilateral economic and financial relations, and enhancing investments in the country.

Highlighting the significant role played by the private sector in promoting Tunisian-Japanese economic cooperation, Hayashi called on Tunisia to participate in Expo 2025 Osaka, which represents an important period for entrepreneurship and business in the world.

The two exchanged views regarding the most prominent issues of common interest and stressed on the need to collectively adopt solutions based on the principles of solidarity and integration between people, in light of Tunisia being a member of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) for the period 2022-2024.

Referring to the TICAD-8 conference, Jerandi expressed his confidence in that the event will be a success. Meanwhile, Hayashi reiterated Japan’s commitment to the conference and expressed his contentment with the coordination that took place between the two countries in organizing the event.