Japan, Africa End Tunis Talks, Craft Ways To Cope With Food Crisis

Leaders from Japan and African nations wrapped up a two-day meeting in the Tunisian capital Tunis on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, underscoring their commitment to better cope with a food crisis aggravated by Russia's war in Ukraine, Mainichi Japan reported.

Photo Insert: The meeting, the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 8, came amid rising concerns about stable food supplies and soaring food and energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The leaders are believed to have affirmed the importance of fair and transparent financing to spur growth in Africa, where China is increasing its clout through investment and development aid, according to Japanese government sources.

The meeting, the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 8, came amid rising concerns about stable food supplies and soaring food and energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has blamed the food shortages on Western economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine and not because Moscow had ruined grain production in Ukraine and prevented Kyiv from shipping grain to Africa and the Middle East.

The food crisis is being felt acutely in some African and Middle Eastern nations that are highly dependent on grain from Ukraine, a major producer. Besides the Ukraine war, the African economy is still being hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will inject $30 billion over the next three years into African development, including $300 million in co-financing with the African Development Bank to boost food production.

Kishida addressed the meeting online due to his infection with COVID-19. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is representing Japan in the Tunis meeting.

Japan and other Group of Seven countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States, plus the European Union (EU) -- have condemned Russia for destroying Ukraine's agricultural infrastructure and imposing a blockade of its Black Sea ports that have prevented shipments of Ukrainian crops.

G-7 members are concerned some African nations are accepting Moscow's claims and even calling for an easing of sanctions. In the address, Kishida said Japan will "grow together" with Africa in what is seen as a veiled attempt to contrast Tokyo's approach to development with that of China.

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