Japan unveils $5.5B plan, AI training to boost Africa ties

At the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba launched a bold push to deepen ties with Africa by proposing a new “Indian Ocean–Africa economic zone,” aimed at linking economies across the Indian Ocean—including India and the Middle East—with African nations. Tokyo pledged $5.5 billion in loans, arranged through the African Development Bank, to advance sustainable development and help tackle Africa’s mounting debt burdens. Additionally, Japan announced plans to train 30,000 AI experts over the next three years to boost digital transformation and job creation across the continent.

Echoing that, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for broader global reforms:

“Africa must have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect its future. That includes long overdue reform of the Security Council, where, incredibly, Africa has no permanent member … and an overhaul of today's unjust and unfair international financial architecture that must enhance African representation and endorse a strong African voice in the decisions being made.”

Meanwhile, Angola’s President and African Union Chair, João Lourenço, acknowledged the critical financial hurdles facing the continent:

“The African continent continues to face persistent barriers and limited, complex access to international financing … many African countries have been rated as high-risk borrowers, making them barely eligible for low-cost capital. Yet such capital is absolutely essential for investment in infrastructure, electrification, industrialization, and technological advancement.”

TICAD 9, attended by roughly 50 African countries alongside global organizations, is Japan’s latest effort to reclaim influence in Africa as U.S. engagement wanes and China’s presence grows. The summit emphasizes collaboration in economy, peace, health, education, and climate, culminating in a “Yokohama Declaration” to be announced later in the week.