Visit of Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO to the Republic of Tunisia

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From May 4 to May 5, Mr. MATSUMOTO Hisashi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited the Republic of Tunisia. The overview is as follows.

1. Courtesy call on Foreign Minister Nafti

On May 5, Mr. MATSUMOTO paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia.

The two sides concurred to further strengthen bilateral relations through important events such as the Osaka-Kansai Expo and 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) this year, as well as the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026. Both sides also concurred on the need to hold next Joint Committee at an early date. Mr. MATSUMOTO also requested the participation of the President of the Republic in TICAD 9 to be held in Yokohama in August this year.

Both sides also exchanged views on the situation in East Asia and concurred to continue working together.

2. Meeting and working lunch with Secretary of State Mohamed Ben Ayed

On May 5, Mr. MATSUMOTO held a meeting with H.E.Mr. Mohamed Ben Ayed, Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad.

Mr. MATSUMOTO presented Japan’s efforts to work with African countries to co-create solutions to various issues at TICAD 9 to be held in Yokohama in August this year, and requested the participation of the President of the Republic in TICAD 9. Mr. MATSUMOTO also expressed his hope that bilateral cooperation would further deepen on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year. Both sides concurred to continue working toward further strengthening bilateral economic relations, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

In addition to the above, both sides also exchanged views on cooperation in the international arena including Security Council reform as well as on the situation surrounding the Middle East etc., and concurred to continue working together closely.

3. Visit to La Rabta Hospital and handover ceremony of medical equipments

On May 5, Mr. MATSUMOTO visited La Rabta Hospital in Tunis and attended with H.E. Dr. Mustapha FERJANI, Minister of Health, the handover ceremony of Japanese medical equipment such as endoscopes provided to 23 hospitals in Tunisia including this hospital, under Japan’s grant aid project “Economic and Social Development Programme” (FY2021).

At La Rabta Hospital, a Third Country Training Programme to share Japanese and Tunisian knowledge in the fields of cardiology with African countries is scheduled to start this year and Mr. MATSUMOTO also visited the department related to the Programme. The equipment provided by the grant will be used in this Training Programme as well.

It is expected that these cooperation programmes will contribute to not only the improvement of the medical environment in Tunisia but also the enhancement of Africa’s capabilities in the field of health and medicine.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

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