Tokyo,
On May 27th of the current year, Her Excellency Teodolinda Rosa Rodrigues Coelho, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to Japan, participated in a dinner celebrating the 62nd anniversary of Africa Day. The event, held at the Imperial Hotel, was attended by His Excellency Fukushiro NUKAGA, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan; His Excellency Takeshi IWAYA, Minister of Foreign Affairs; prominent figures of Japanese politics; members of the Japan/Africa Parliamentary Friendship League; representatives of Japanese companies operating in the African market; and other dignitaries.
The commemorative Africa Day event featured a congratulatory message from His Excellency Shigeru ISHIBA, Prime Minister of Japan. In his message, the Prime Minister acknowledged the efforts and progress achieved by African countries in implementing their long-term development agenda, with special emphasis on Agenda 2063, the vision for regional integration, and the African Continental Free Trade Area. He expressed his hope that Japan’s technological advancements could create innovative solutions leading to prosperity for both Japan and Africa, and extended an invitation to Member States to participate in the upcoming TICAD-9 summit, to be held in Yokohama.
Addressing those present, Her Excellency Ambassador Teodolinda Coelho recognized the African continent’s potential for attracting investments in infrastructure areas such as roads, railways, ports, airports, power stations, and telecommunications. She reiterated Angola’s commitment, as Chairperson of the African Union, to attracting investments, and announced the upcoming International Conference on Infrastructure Financing, scheduled to take place from October 13th to 14th in Luanda. This conference aims to mobilize resources and partnerships to drive structural progress across Africa.
The Africa Day event concluded with a performance by a cultural group comprising Japanese and African artists.
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA, Tokyo, June 4, 2025.
Speech by the Ambassador of the Republic of Angola
- Your Excellency Mr. NUKAGA Fukushiro, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
- Your Excellency Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan;
- Distinguished Ministers and Representatives of the Japanese Government;
- Honorable Members of the DIET and Representatives of Japan-Africa Parliamentary Friendship League;
- Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentleman
Minasama Kombanwa (Good evening)
It is with a high sense of honor and deep respect that I read this message on behalf of the government of Angola, the current Chairperson of the African Union.
Today, we celebrate the 62nd anniversary of Africa Day, with a deep historical symbolism of our continent, which focuses on the promotion of effective global governance and regional integration by ensuring peace, security, stability and sustainable development.
Excellencies,
The potential of Africa, a continent known internationally for its vast natural and mineral resources; its cultural diversity and its ancestral values, marked by a unique young demographic growth, with its human resources, become an attractive place for future investments that could contribute to the creation of a regional hub for the development of the world.
Today Africa faces some significant challenges related to peace and security, and also to the lack of investment and cheap financing to tackle asymmetries in infrastructure projects: – such as roads, railways, ports, airports, power stations, telecommunications structures and others.
Those issues need the support of international partners, especially those of the G-7 nations, of which Japan is an integral and primary partner.
Excellencies,
This year, the theme adopted by African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government is “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, and this topic invites us to a reflection on the justice that should exist on our continent.
In the framework of justice, Africa countries are defending the reform of the United Nations Security Council and the allocation of a Permanent and non-Permanent seats for Africa, with the right of veto (in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration), and for this, we count on the support of Japan.
Additionally, new international financial architecture is necessary to guarantee greater funding that supports our continent development, especially in critical areas such as infrastructure to safeguard our regional integration.
Excellencies,
Since taking over the rotating Presidency of the African Union, the Republic of Angola has been committed to promoting policies that favor industrialization, economic growth and intra-African connectivity.
For this reason, Angola will be organizing an International Conference on Infrastructure Financing from 13 to 14 October this year in Luanda, with the aim on mobilizing resources and partnerships that will boost structural progress in Africa, and we welcome participation of important partners including Japan.
On the same vein, it is important to refer that on May 14 (Fourteenth )this year, H.E. João Lourenço, President of Angola in His capacity as the President of the African Union, chaired a meeting with the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), to discuss the idea of creating an African Development Fund, that focused on the available mechanisms for the operationalization of the Funds in accordance with the implementation of the Agenda 2063 of the AU.
Excellencies,
This year in August, the city of Yokohama will receive African leaders who will participate in the TICAD-9 Summit, with the main aim on securing partnerships with Japan, and with their focuses on investments in critical areas, namely industry, infrastructure, technological advancement and connectivity.
Dear Minister IWAYA
Angola, as the co-chair of TICAD-9, is looking forward to continuing to work with Japan and to attracting more African companies to collaborate with Japanese enterprises. We hope that the co-creation motto can create a conducing environment for business and partnerships that contributes to the development of Japan and Africa.
On this auspicious day, we call on everyone to be integral part of strengthening cooperation between Japan and Africa.
The time is now, and let’s role together towards development.
Thank you for your attention.
Arigato gozaimasu
Muito Obrigada