President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated Africa’s readiness for global business by stressing the need for a rules-based trading system and reaffirming his commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Delivering his closing remarks at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Japan, Mahama called on African leaders to pursue key reforms that would foster stability and make the continent more attractive to investors.
“Africa is open for business. We wish to partner with any nation on a win-win basis. But let’s not kid ourselves, trade and investments will not come to Africa because we wish for it,” Mahama said.
The three-day summit ended with the adoption of the Yokohama Declaration, a framework aimed at strengthening Japan-Africa cooperation in areas including economic growth, social development, peace, and stability. The declaration also tackled pressing concerns such as poverty reduction and the decline of multilateralism, while pledging deeper collaboration on health, governance, and youth entrepreneurship.
The conference further emphasized that democracy and the rule of law remain the foundation of sustainable development. With TICAD 9 concluded, attention now shifts to ensuring the commitments are implemented, with the next conference scheduled to be hosted in Africa in 2028.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba closed the event by announcing several landmark initiatives, including the creation of an Indian Ocean-Africa economic zone to support Japanese business expansion. He also revealed an ambitious plan to train 300,000 African professionals in artificial intelligence over the next three years.
In addition, the Prime Minister disclosed that Japanese companies would invest $100 million in Ghana, signaling stronger bilateral ties and opportunities for economic growth.
