Press Releases
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII by Permanent Representatives of African countries to the UN.
March 17, 2026
On March 17, commencing at 5:00 pm, for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. HORII Iwao, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call by H.E. Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Erastus Lokaale, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations and H.E. Ambassador Coly Seck, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows.
- At the outset of the meeting, State Minister HORII welcomed Permanent Representatives on their first visit to Japan and stated that Japan has been holding the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) for over 30 years in cooperation with the United Nations, and that through this initiative, Japan has continued to be a reliable partner for Africa. Also, he noted the importance of human security and emphasized the need for Japan-Africa cooperation within the United nations. He also stated that the United Nations itself requires reform, and it is necessary to reform the Security Council in particularly so that it truly reflects the current realities of the international community.
- In response, Permanent Representatives expressed their gratitude for the invitation and highly commended Japan's support for the United Nations and Africa. Both sides shared a view to further strengthen the cooperative relationship between Japan and Africa, while utilizing the TICAD framework within the United Nations.
- Both sides concurred on the importance of achieving concrete progress towards Security Council reform and to continue the cooperation between G4, including Japan, and Africa.
- In addition, both sides exchanged views on the importance of the full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea. State Minister HORII asked for understanding and cooperation for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.