Chamwe Kaira
Japanese prime minister Ishiba Shigeru and Namibian prime minister Elijah Ngurare met in Japan, where it was revealed that Japanese companies are seeking investment opportunities in Namibia’s energy, mining, and green hydrogen sectors.
Ngurare was in Japan to attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).
Ishiba said Japan wants to work with Namibia through public and private partnerships, focusing on job creation and economic growth.
He also highlighted interest in agriculture, energy, and mineral resources, including green hydrogen, which is attracting growing attention from Japanese companies.
Ngurare welcomed Japan’s support and expressed his desire to strengthen bilateral relations. The two leaders agreed to work closely together on international challenges.
During a TICAD 9 side event on food systems and local economies, Ishiba said Africa’s agricultural output has increased, but demand continues to rise with population growth. He noted Africa’s dependence on imports of rice and wheat and pointed out that while more than half of Africa’s labor force works in agriculture, yields remain below the global average.
He said Japan has expertise in technology and human resource development. Through the Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa, launched by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is helping build resilient African agrifood systems.
The programme aims to produce food for 250 million people, improve nutrition for 92,000 people, and raise incomes for 120,000 small-scale farming households.
Ishiba announced that Japan is strengthening the “Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa,” a framework with the African Development Bank, expanding it to U$5.5 billion. He added that Japan will mobilise U$1.5 billion in public-private impact investment, using JICA’s private sector finance as a catalyst.
Japan will also expand investment in Africa’s health sector. Ishiba said the Universal Health Coverage Knowledge Hub, to be launched in Japan this year, and the training of 35 000 health and medical personnel will support African countries in achieving UHC.
He added that Japan will contribute up to U$550 million over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support Africa’s vaccine supply.
Ishiba also announced a new initiative to strengthen logistics in the Nacala Corridor, which links Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia. He said the project will improve mineral resource supply and advance regional industrial development.
