Japan supports peace, stability in Horn of Africa

ANKARA (AA) – Japan’s prime minister on Thursday stressed Tokyo’s supportive stance for peace building in the Horn of Africa, highlighting the link between achieving peace and reaping economic fruits in the region and the neighboring regions.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed African efforts on peace development, especially the resumption of diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea, in addressing to the Special Conference on Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa and the Neighboring Region hosted by the Japanese city Yokohama, south of Tokyo.

"We have seen developments of peace building by Africa itself since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea last year. We highly appreciate such efforts," Abe said, according to the statement released by Japanese Foreign Ministry’s website.

"The fruit of economic growth can be delivered to the whole region through connection from ports to surrounding inland areas beyond countries. For example, this applies to Ethiopia and Eritrea, which reestablished their diplomatic relations last year," he said.

"The Horn of Africa has been a hub connecting Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe since ancient times. Today, as international logistics has become more vigorous, the importance of this region is growing further," said the prime minister.

"At TICAD VI [referring to the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development], I called on to make the 'stretch from Asia to Africa a main artery for growth and prosperity'," he added.

"If this region becomes truly stable and economic integration progresses, Africa’s growth and prosperity will be more secure, along with the Agreement on African Continental Free Trade Area that entered into force this May," he said.

The Japanese prime minister also pledged to support African initiatives on peace building, saying "Japan will support and commit to assist Africa’s own initiatives".

He also praised Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s peace efforts.

Abe pledged to continue "implementing assistance for construction projects of the Nile river bridge in South Sudan and improvement of road connecting Djibouti and Ethiopia," and hailed the signing of the document on the establishment of a transitional administrative authority in Sudan.

According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry website, Tokyo is the only donor country which provides financial support to the implementation of South Sudan’s peace agreement process led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Africa’s 8-nation trading and security bloc.