Japan reassures Africa on aid boost pledges

GABORONE – Japan reassured African governments Sunday that it would follow through on pledges to double its aid and investments on the continent despite the global economic crisis.

Japan promised a total of about US$6 billion (4,4 billion euros) in assistance and private investments to African countries during an aid summit last May.
With its economy now mired in the worst recession in decades, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone led a two-day meeting with delegates from about 100 countries, international agencies and charities to reaffirm support for the scheme.
‘Japan expressed its intention to expeditiously implement grant and technical assistance amounting to two billion dollars in this difficult period of crisis, and to actively mobilise the re-affirmed pledge of loans up to four billion dollars,’ read the final communique from the meeting.
The loans would offer guarantees to Japanese businesses working in Africa to reduce the risk of investments on the continent.
Nakasone on Saturday announced US$500 million in new foreign aid, mainly for Africa, including food programmes and contributions to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
For Japan, the new aid scheme also addresses growing alarm in Tokyo as emerging economies, particularly China, seal business deals and political alliances on the African continent.
Japan also used the first aid summit in May, when the package was announced, to lobby for one of its top foreign policy goals – securing a permanent seat at the UN Security Council – which has been blocked under pressure from China.
-Nampa-AFP