I’ve wrapped up my schedule in Angola, the second country on my Africa trip.
Angola is a country located in southern Africa, facing the Atlantic Ocean. It is the world’s 18th largest crude oil producer and also rich in mineral resources such as rare earth elements, making it a critically important country from the perspective of economic security, just like Zambia.
This year, Japan and Angola, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, have built a friendly relationship over many years. Japan has been providing continuous support in the field of landmine removal since the 1990s, before the end of Angola’s civil war. In Angola, it is said that hazardous areas contaminated with landmines—covering about 100,000 hectares (slightly more than half the size of Kagawa Prefecture, or 1.6 times the area of Tokyo’s 23 wards)—have been reduced. Additionally, Japan has been actively providing support in the areas of healthcare and infrastructure. Furthermore, interest from Japanese companies in Angola is growing, and initiatives are underway, such as the Japanese embassy in Angola hosting business roundtables.
During this visit to Angola, building on that foundation of trust and track record of cooperation, I was able to hold highly productive meetings with President Lourenço and Foreign Minister António. In particular, we agreed to further strengthen economic ties and to promote the participation of Japanese companies in transactions involving Angolan crude oil. We also engaged in frank discussions on the increasingly challenging international and regional situations, and confirmed our collaboration on the international stage.
As Foreign Minister, I will devote my full efforts to further developing friendly relations with Angola, looking toward the next 50 years.
Next, I head to Nairobi, Kenya—the place where Prime Minister Abe proposed the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” in 2016. With Kenya, an important partner in realizing FOIP, I aim to further advance multilayered cooperation. I will also firmly convey messages on the “evolution” of FOIP and Japan’s diplomacy toward Africa.
: Toshimitsu Motegi
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan