Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had announced a $500 million over the next three (3) years to support the efforts at securing peace in the Sahel region as well as the coast states of the Gulf of Guinea.
This announcement was made when Prime Minister Kishida paid a one-day courtesy call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House Monday.
This is the first visit by a Japanese Prime Minister to Ghana in 17 years
Addressing a joint press briefing Monday at Jubilee House after a bilateral meeting between the two leaders, Prime Minister Kishida said without peace and stability in the West African region, there cannot be economic growth.
Prime Minister Kishida commended and welcomed Ghana’s efforts through the Accra Initiative and other endeavours to secure peace and stability in the region.
“Under the objective of contributing to the peace and stability in the region, particularly the Sahel region and the coast states of the Gulf of Guinea, and promoting sustainable growth, Japan would provide $500 million of support over the next three years,” he stated.
Again, Prime Minister Kishida assured that through Japan’s assistance to the PKO training centres, his country would support the Accra Initiative.
The Japanese Prime Minister said his visit to Ghana is to directly listen to the voice of Africa and reflect on the feedback on the discussion that would ensue at the G7 Hiroshima Summit.
Ghana, he said is a major economic hub of West Africa and an important partner of whom Japan share fundamental values and principles such as democracy and the rule of law.
On Sudan arms conflict, Prime Minister Kishida indicated his country’s concerns and conveyed to President Akufo-Addo that as Japan’s capacity as the G.7 presidency, and a member of the UN Security Council, “it shall make proactive contributions by taken measures such as the stoppage of the fighting broker peace in that country, and provision of humanitarian assistance among others.
He said as members of the UN Security Council, Ghana and Japan shall work closely together to deal with the Sudan issue as well as others.
Japan has been supporting Africa’s own efforts to achieve peace and stability, the prerequisite for economic growth, investment and betterment of livelihoods, under the New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), which approaches the root causes of impediments to human security as well as peace.
Taking his turn to address the press, President Akufo-Addo said he and his counterpart touched on the need to promote a better world and address global issues to the realisation of the sustainable development goals and women empowerment.
They also discussed, according to President Akufo-Addo the need to reform the United Nations, especially the Security Council to reflect the change circumstances of the world from 1945, which enabled the big payers after the Second World War to establish a structure of command that suit them vision and enterprise.