Port Sudan — The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Jibril Ibrahim, on Wednesday, met with the Japanese envoy to the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Shimizu Shinsuke, and members of his delegation, including Kentaro Mizuuchi, Japanese Charge' d'Affaires, and Ms. Mayuki Nishimura, in the presence of Ambassador Omar Issa, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a number of technicians from the Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Finance Minister welcomed the appointment of a Japanese envoy to the Horn of Africa, and stressed the importance of his presence despite the difficulty of the mission due to tensions in the region, pointing out to the good relations and mutual respect between Japan and the African continent, which facilitates the envoy's mission given the absence of Japan's colonial history in the region.
The minister briefed the Japanese special envoy to the Horn of Africa on the causes and repercussions of the war and the efforts made to end it through dialogue between various civil forces at home and abroad, referring to the Cairo conference scheduled to be held in the coming days.
For his part, the Japanese special envoy to the Horn of Africa stressed the importance of the Horn of Africa region and the interest of the Japanese government in resolving conflicts there, particularly in Sudan, calling for a ceasefire through direct talks.
The minister of Finance and Economic Planning pointed out that the war requires understanding the reality of Sudan and the nature of the conflict, stressing that the terrorist rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias are a tribal force whose loyalty is to the tribe and family. He also explained that the government of Sudan has been calling for peace since the beginning of the war, and that the continued external support for the terrorist rebel RSF militia from the UAE and some neighboring countries contributed to the expansion of the war and the destruction of the country, urging the necessity of Japan and the international community intervention to uncover and stop this interference.
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Regarding food security in Sudan, the minister denied the existence of famine, and confirmed the existence of sufficient food production, indicating that the problem lies in distribution, and that Sudan only needs production inputs to produce its food without the need for food aid from abroad. He praised the successful projects implemented by the Japanese government through JICA in the fields of water and electricity, calling for continued Japanese support and the need to provide direct support to Sudan.
The Japanese special envoy to the Horn of Africa indicated that $150 million had been allocated to the Horn of Africa region, and that JICA's return to work in Sudan would take place soon with the improvement of the security situation in the country, stressing their support for Sudan in the UN Security Council.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister thanked the government of Japan again for its interest in resolving the conflict in Sudan, and invited it to participate in the post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation phase as a strategic partner, and to enter into projects through the BOT system, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and the construction of roads, airports, ports, water and electricity stations. BH/BH
