Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed this Sunday to "remedy a historic injustice" that will push for Africa to have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

"To act effectively" and consolidate peace and security in Africa, it is "urgent to remedy the historical injustice" of the absence of a permanent seat for Africa at the UN, Kishida said via video conference at a Japan-Africa summit being held in Tunis, Tunisia, since Saturday.

According to the head of the Japanese government, quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Lusa, his country intends to "create an environment in which the African people can live in peace and security so that the continent can develop.

"Japan will strengthen its partnership with Africa" and next year, when it is on the Security Council with a non-permanent seat (2023 and 2024), it will advocate for UN reform and a permanent seat for the continent.

Kishida, who stayed in Tokyo due to covid-19, pointed out that it will be "a moment of truth for the UN."

"For the UN to work effectively for peace and stability, it is urgent to strengthen the UN by reforming the Security Council," he stressed.

The Security Council currently consists of 15 members, five of whom are permanent (USA, Russia, China, France and the UK), with the remaining seats held by other UN member states in two-year rotations.

Kishida also thanked the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their "mediation in conflict prevention" and said that cross-border problems on the continent must be addressed, such as training of security forces, judicial and administrative governance, and food insecurity.

At the opening of the meeting on Saturday, the head of the government announced "investments of 30 billion dollars" over three years in Africa.