The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) will be held in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20-22, 2025, under the theme “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”. TICAD is a long-standing international conference and platform led by the Japanese Government since 1993. It is focused on promoting Africa-led sustainable development under the two principles, African ownership and international partnership, in the priority areas of human capital development, human security, private sector-led growth, and quality infrastructure. TICAD provides an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders, including African countries and development partners such as regional and international organizations, donor countries, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations, to discuss how to respond to regional and international complex challenges.

TICAD plays a vital role in uniting various nations and organizations for promoting development in Africa, with Japan playing a central role in hosting the forum. Simultaneously, Japan has been actively developing cooperative relationships with key international partners to amplify the impact of our cooperation in Africa. Notably, a strengthened partnership with Kuwait is pivotal. On the occasion of the successful visit of His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Japan, in May 2025, Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on International Cooperation between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) was signed to strengthen cooperation in the field of development. The areas of cooperation will include exchanging information and best practices, conducting consultations, and jointly identifying potential projects, and so on. The MoC also provides a foundation for various activities and collaborations, such as jointly aiding third countries in the region, including Africa, and delivering capacity-building workshops in Japan.

The collaboration between Japan and Kuwait is especially important in the context of TICAD9. Japan warmly welcomes the presence of KFAED in the forum, as it represents the first meeting focused on development since the signing of the MoC between our nations, which is essential for sharing visions and finding the next step for further practical collaboration. Furthermore, the participation of KFAED, which has extensive knowledge and experience in the development sector in Africa and other regions, will further enhance the influence and importance of TICAD9 in bringing resilient and sustainable growth to Africa.

Besides such initiatives, Japan has been developing a strategic approach and framework to engage multi-stakeholders to deliver practical cooperation in the region. The approach includes collaboration with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), development financial institutions, and the private sector. Furthermore, Japan newly introduced the “Co-creation for common agenda initiative” in 2023. Under this initiative, Japan will proactively propose appealing cooperation menus to achieve development goals by the “co-creation” of social value through dialogue and collaboration with the partner countries, while mobilizing other official flows (OOF) and private finance in combination with ODA. Sustainable development cannot be achieved solely by a single nation. Japan will continue to further deepen the partnership with Kuwait and relevant stakeholders and undertake efforts for a sustainable future in Africa and the world. With the renewed partnership between JICA and KFAED, we envision that this cooperation will contribute meaningfully to addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges and realizing sustainable development in the African continent to strengthen the partnership between the two countries.

By MUKAI Kenichiro
Ambassador of Japan to the State of Kuwait