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TICAD 9 in perspective : Opportunities and challenges

The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama in August 2025, marked a milestone in Africa-Japan relations. Focused on co-creating innovative solutions, advancing Agenda 2063, and strengthening trade, technology, and regional integration, TICAD 9 highlights both opportunities and risks for Africa’s sustainable development.

ANALYTICAL ARTICLE

stephanie Mwangaza Kasereka

8/22/20255 min read

1. Introduction

From August 20 to 22, 2025, the city of Yokohama, Japan, hosted the Ninth Session of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9). Alongside Japan, 49 African nations participated, together with leaders from international organizations, representatives from the private sector, and members of civil society.

The overall objective of TICAD 9 is to strengthen cooperation between Japan and the African continent. This year’s summit focused on two key priorities: first, to co-create innovative solutions with Africa for pressing challenges facing not only the continent but also Japan and the wider international community; and second, to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

This article examines the opportunities and challenges of TICAD 9, highlighting the implications for Africa’s development and its role in shaping international partnerships.

2. Background

Cooperation between Japan and Africa through TICAD began in 1993, in the post-Cold War era. At that time, Japan sought to fill a void in Africa’s international partnerships, particularly in aid provision. The early 1990s marked a period of transition in global relations, during which attention toward Africa declined due to the reshaping of the international order. The first TICAD summit was held in Tokyo in October 1993, with a primary focus on aid.

Since then, each TICAD summit has reflected the prevailing geopolitical and economic climate. Themes have included ownership and partnership, human security, the growth of emerging economies, and sustainable development. While TICAD initially sought to fill the gap left by other donors, Japan gradually introduced a key shift: incorporating the perspectives and participation of African recipients.

For TICAD 9, four main themes were emphasized to ensure effective co-creation and alignment with global and continental agendas, such as the UN Agenda 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063:

  1. Private sector-led sustainable growth: Moving from aid dependency toward investment, trade, and business partnerships.

  2. Youth and women empowerment: Investing in education and skills training while promoting inclusive growth using Africa’s demographic potential.

  3. Regional integration and connectivity: Supporting infrastructure development, promoting new technologies, and aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

  4. Technology and innovation: Encouraging digital transformation, adoption of new technologies, and facilitating technology transfer between Japan and African partners.

3. Opportunities Presented by TICAD 9

TICAD provides a distinctive platform for Africa-Japan cooperation that transcends traditional aid frameworks. If leveraged effectively, it can contribute to long-term development and bilateral cooperation, offering economic, diplomatic, and policy benefits.

a.Economic Opportunities

TICAD 9 emphasizes transformative projects and partnerships that can accelerate Africa’s development trajectory. Initiatives such as the Indian Ocean-Africa Economic Zone, which connects Asia with Africa via maritime trade, and the Nacala Corridor, linking the port of Nacala in Mozambique to Malawi and Zambia via road and rail, facilitate trade for landlocked countries like Malawi and Zambia. Increased private sector engagement also supports sustainable growth, reducing reliance on political agendas.

b.Regional Integration and Connectivity

Infrastructure initiatives such as the Nacala Corridor play a critical role in strengthening continental integration. By expanding roads, railways, and port networks, these projects lower trade costs, enhance agricultural and industrial exports, and provide Africa’s 16 landlocked countries with access to global markets. Importantly, aligning TICAD projects with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA reinforces African-led regional integration while promoting resource sharing in an interconnected world. Beyond physical infrastructure, there is also growing momentum for digital and technological advancement. Japan’s experience in digital innovation offers valuable opportunities for Africa, particularly in areas such as e-governance, financial technology, and skills development. For instance, Japan vowed to train 30,000 AI experts over the next three years to foster Africa's merging technology.(AllAfrica, 2025)

c.Diplomatic and Policy Benefits

TICAD 9 provides a platform for engagement with a G7 partner that positions itself as a cooperative actor. It also enables African countries to diversify partnerships beyond traditional actors such as France, the United States, or China. Most importantly, TICAD emphasizes co-creation, allowing African governments, regional bodies, and civil society to assert their priorities, making it a genuine cooperation framework rather than just an aid initiative.

4. Challenges / Risks of TICAD 9

a.Risk of Dependency

One challenge is the potential for continued reliance on Japanese aid or loans. Although TICAD emphasizes private-sector-led growth, the $5.5 billion in loans announced at TICAD 9 (Africanews, 2025) represents long-term obligations. Countries already facing debt vulnerabilities may struggle to repay these loans. For instance, Zambia defaulted on a $42.5 million Eurobond payment in November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (Georgetown University, 2021; FinDev Lab, 2021; Africanews, 2020), while Ghana entered an IMF-supported bailout after defaulting on most of its external debt (Reuters, 2022). Loans, unlike grants, carry long-term obligations that can restrict policy flexibility. TICAD must ensure Japanese support empowers African states to build self-sustaining growth rather than perpetuating debt dependency.

b.Risk of Geopolitical Complications

TICAD operates in a complex geopolitical environment. Japan may compete with other international actors in Africa, potentially creating conflicting priorities. For instance, China has emerged as a major infrastructure partner, with projects such as the Mombasa–Nairobi and Addis Ababa–Djibouti railways. Critics argue these projects primarily advance China’s strategic and economic interests, highlighting the need for African countries to balance external partnerships.

c.Risk of Limited African Agency and Ownership

Although TICAD 9 emphasizes co-creation, there is a risk that projects remain top-down, reflecting donor priorities rather than African development goals. For TICAD to be transformative, African states and regional bodies must assert their agendas, guiding investments, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to meet the continent’s needs while collaborating with Japan.

5. Recommendations / Forward-Looking Perspective

TICAD 9 presents an opportunity to channel resources, investment, and technology into Africa. To ensure tangible benefits, African countries should engage as equal partners, contributing financial, technological, and intellectual resources rather than remaining in a donor-recipient dynamic.

Key recommendations include:

  1. Active Agenda-Setting: African states must define and assert priorities, aligning TICAD initiatives with Agenda 2063 and national development plans.

  2. Private Sector Engagement: Collaborative government-private sector partnerships can maximize local impact, encourage sustainable investment, and foster entrepreneurship, industrial growth, and job creation.

  3. Transparency and Accountability: Clear monitoring mechanisms should ensure investments deliver measurable benefits, especially for local communities.

  4. Capacity Building: Africa should invest in skills development, technology transfer, and trade negotiation capacity to strengthen its role in shaping development projects.

By implementing these recommendations, Africa can maximize TICAD’s benefits, supporting self-determined development, regional integration, and sustainable prosperity.

6. Conclusion

TICAD 9 demonstrates the dual nature of international cooperation: it offers significant opportunities, including economic growth, infrastructure development, technological advancement, and diplomatic leverage, while also presenting risks such as dependency, geopolitical complications, and limited African agency.

The success of TICAD resolutions depends on African leadership and strategic engagement. The summit must address Africa’s development challenges and foster a more equitable relationship with Japan, ensuring that future partnerships reflect African priorities. If managed effectively, TICAD 9 could mark a turning point, enabling Africa to co-create its development path and strengthen sustainable, self-determined growth.

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