Tokyo.- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba asked UN Secretary-General
UN António Guterres on Wednesday to ensure the permanence of Japanese personnel and consider greater recruitment of them in view of the reform of the organization within the framework of the UN80 initiative.
Ishiba made this request in Portuguese during a bilateral meeting in the Japanese city of Yokohama on the occasion of Guterres' presence in Japan to participate in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which will last until Friday.
In response, the UN Secretary-General thanked Japan for its support of the organization's activities and discussed with the Japanese Prime Minister the reform process and Japan's expectations, according to a statement released by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The leaders also exchanged views on the reform of the United Nations itself, including the Security Council, a point in which Japan has repeatedly shown interest, as it is currently a non-permanent member of the body.
The meeting between Ishiba and Guterres took place a few hours after the forum's inauguration, during which the head of the Japanese Executive proposed the creation of a common 'economic zone' encompassing the Indian Ocean and Africa region to harness the economic potential of the continent, where China is increasing its influence.
The debates of this edition revolve around three pillars: peace and stability, economic issues, and social matters such as healthcare, climate change, or the exchange of young talent.
The Japanese Government has already announced an initiative in collaboration with the prestigious University of Tokyo, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and African universities to train approximately 30,000 people in artificial intelligence over the next three years.