Japan’s ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) concluded on Friday, August 22, 2025, in Yokohama, leaving a mark not only for its development agenda but also for a diplomatic controversy surrounding the participation of Western Sahara.
Bringing together nearly 5,000 participants from 55 African nations, TICAD 9 celebrated three decades of Japan-Africa cooperation under the theme “co-creating innovative solutions.”
Yet, tensions emerged between Morocco on one side and Algeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on the other.
Central to the dispute was the presence of a high-level delegation from the SADR, led by its Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Morocco reportedly lobbied Japan for a year to block the Sahrawi delegation, but Japanese authorities refused to yield.
“Special” and “enhanced” security measures were provided to the Sahrawi representatives throughout the summit, aiming to prevent incidents similar to 2024, when the Moroccan representative physically confronted his Sahrawi counterpart.
Western Sahara’s participation is grounded in African Union protocol.
As a founding and active member of the AU since 1984, the SADR is invited to TICAD alongside all AU member states. Moroccan attempts to exclude the territory have consistently failed at past editions.
Despite the diplomatic tensions, TICAD 9 maintained its focus on economic cooperation and technological innovation.
Japan announced plans to mobilize $1.5 billion to boost private investment in Africa, amid growing global competition, especially from China.
The summit addressed three strategic pillars: society, economy, and peace and stability, with particular attention to youth participation through the “Youth TICAD 2025” program, which brought together 400 young Africans and Japanese.
The “Tomoni Africa” initiative, designed to foster training, creativity, and exchange among young people, was officially launched. Cutting-edge Japanese technologies, including artificial intelligence, drones, and 3D printing, were showcased as tools to tackle African development challenges.
The closing Yokohama Declaration affirmed common priorities for the next three years under the conference theme. TICAD 10, scheduled in 2028, will test whether the diplomatic tensions surrounding Western Sahara can be eased while maintaining a forum for African development and economic cooperation.
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