Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced last week that he will step down for health reasons, was an enthusiastic proponent of a robust African engagement strategy. In particular, the prime minister advocated for a trade-led foreign policy with Africa that was highlighted at the Japan-Africa (TICAD) summits that are held every five years.
One of the not-so-subtle undertones of the past two TICAD summits was presenting Japan’s industry-focused development finance model as an alternative to China’s state-led approach.