YOKOHAMA ¨C The Japan-led Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 9, closed Friday by adopting a joint communique that reaffirms the importance of multilateral trade to counter global protectionist moves.

The Yokohama Declaration included a plan to strengthen links between Africa and the Indo-Pacific region, in line with a new economic initiative Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba put forward Wednesday.

The communique adopted mainly by Japanese and African leaders emphasized proposals to solve problems facing African states, apparently reflecting Japan¡¯s wish to highlight a different approach to that of China, which has expanded its influence in Africa.

The three-day conference, which started in Yokohama on Wednesday to discuss measures to support African states, was co-hosted by the Japanese government and global organizations such as the United Nations.

¡°We will work further to expand investments for the future of Africa, enhance industrial cooperation and develop human resources,¡± Ishiba, who served as co-chair, said at a joint news conference.

¡°We want to contribute to the regional integration of the continent and its industrial development together with countries in the Indo-Pacific region,¡± the prime minister said of his initiative.

The high tariff policies of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have impacted African countries. ¡°We reaffirm the importance of the rules-based and open multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core,¡± the declaration emphasized. It also highlighted the need to boost cooperation for the success of the WTO ministerial conference to be held in Cameroon in 2026.

¡°We also stress the importance of connectivity with other regions such as the Indo-Pacific region,¡± while continuing ¡°to promote regional integration and connectivity through the African Continental Free Trade Area,¡± the leaders said in the declaration.

¡°We take good note of the initiative of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific as announced by Japan,¡± they added.

In consideration of China¡¯s ¡°debt trap¡± strategy of increasing its influence by saddling developing countries with huge debts, the declaration said that ¡°we note with deep concern the significant increase in Africa¡¯s total debt stocks over the past decade.¡±

The leaders also underlined ¡°the need for strengthening debt management capacity and enhancing debt transparency.¡±

¡°We recognize the importance of co-creating an enabling environment to drive the digital transformation of Africa and stress the need for effective and responsible governance and utilization of digital and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence,¡± it said.