ISTANBUL

Japan has pledged $500 million to be spent in the next three years on the African continent.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday that Tokyo will provide around $500 million in “financial support to Africa over the next three years to promote peace and stability on the continent,” Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Kishida has been on a multi-national tour to Africa since late last week until Friday, beginning his trip from Egypt to Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique.

On his way back, he will also visit Singapore.

Kishida and Akufo-Addo also confirmed “the importance of providing transparent and fair development finance.”

“Economic growth cannot be achieved without peace and stability,” Kishida later told a news conference.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced that Kishida will pay an official visit to South Korea later this weekend for a summit meeting with South Korean President Yoon Sung-yeol.

“This visit follows the agreement between the two leaders on the resumption of shuttle diplomacy” during Yoon’s visit to Japan in March, the ministry said.