Japan shows support for Africa to join UN Security Council

The government of Japan has announced that it will support Africa in lobbying for a seat at the United Nations UN Security Council by 2023.

Speaking during the launch of Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) Summit on Saturday Japan Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abe said ‘The enormous continent of Africa has given no permanent member to the United Nations Security Council. Africa, please accept my complete support on this point.’

 He added that Africa had the right to demand that the international community better reflect views of this continent.

‘Africa should send a permanent member to the UN Security Council by 2023 at the very latest,’ the Japanese Prime Minister insisted.

He said that reform of the UN Security Council is truly a goal that Japan and Africa mutually shared.

Meanwhile during the launch of TICAD at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre KICC Abe acknowledged that Africa was making enormous leaps in development.

‘Africa is now off and running, aiming at long-range goals, aspiring to be fully  industrialized by 2063.Agenda 2063,in my opinion, is a grand concept and is simply unparalleled,’ he said.

‘Japan will set aside approximately 10 billion US dollars to Africa over the next 3 years for building infrastructure. A portion of this will be executed through cooperation with the African Development Bank,’ he continued.

Further President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that the gathering of 34 African Heads of State and Government in Nairobi for the summit was a sign that the ‘Africa Rising’ phenomenon was taking place.

‘Japan’s narrative of attaining the fastest economic growth in human history even after being hard hit by conflict encourages Africans to work harder to achieve prosperity,’ he concluded.