UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) has urged increased investment in Africa’s renewable energy, highlighting its potential to become a “renewable superpower” due to its abundant solar, wind, and critical mineral resources. He emphasized that green energy investments could lower costs, diversify supply chains, and support global decarbonization, while calling for more concessional finance and lending capacity to prevent debt from stifling development.
The conference, attended by leaders like Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, and Kenya’s William Ruto, saw Japan position itself as an alternative to China amid Africa’s debt crisis, worsened by Western aid cuts, conflict, and climate change.
Meanwhile Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced plans to train 30,000 Africans in AI and explore a Japan-Africa Economic Partnership. Leaders like Tinubu and Ramaphosa advocated for a shift from aid to investment partnerships, while Kenya’s Ruto discussed securing 5,000 e-mobility vehicles from Toyota to advance clean energy.
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