S-African leader states Africa does not need assistance
(MENAFN) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on international partners, particularly Japan, to shift from aid-driven assistance to investment-based collaboration with Africa.
Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Ramaphosa emphasized that Africa is ready to shape its own future amid a rapidly changing global landscape. “Africa is not seeking aid. It is seeking partners—partners who understand value co-creation, sustainable development, and mutual industrialization,” he said, drawing strong reactions from summit delegates.
Ramaphosa highlighted South Africa’s efforts to modernize its economy, stabilize energy supply, and upgrade infrastructure, opening ports and railways to private sector investment. These reforms support a re-industrialization agenda focused on localization, green energy, and regional integration.
He also pointed to opportunities in South Africa’s growing manufacturing sector, including electric vehicles, green hydrogen, health products, and digital infrastructure, as areas for sustainable and scalable investment. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was positioned as central to Africa’s economic vision, with South Africa serving as a gateway for Japanese and global businesses to access the continent.
Ramaphosa called for harmonized trade protocols, improved border infrastructure, and value-chain development in automotive, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. He warned against over-reliance on single markets, referencing recent US tariff hikes, and urged Japan to support tariff cooperation to facilitate African exports.
Reiterating Africa’s preference for partnerships over aid, Ramaphosa concluded, “Let us work together not as donors and recipients, but as equal partners building a prosperous future.”
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