Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for the economic inclusion of refugees in Africa, describing it as a crucial step in transforming displacement into opportunity and unlocking the continent’s development potential.

Speaking in Yokohama, Japan, during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Mudavadi highlighted Kenya’s role in shaping conversations around shared prosperity between Africa and Japan. He underscored that addressing the plight of forcibly displaced persons requires innovative solutions that empower both refugees and host communities.

“I also took part in a side event on the economic inclusion of forcibly displaced persons in Africa, where I underscored Kenya’s transformative Shirika Plan, a homegrown initiative that is turning displacement into opportunity by empowering both refugees and host communities to rebuild lives with dignity and contribute meaningfully to development,” Mudavadi stated in his official communication.

The Prime CS, who accompanied President William Ruto to Japan for the high-level gathering, said the forum offered a historic platform for charting new pathways of partnership for growth between Africa and Japan.

“Accompanied President Williams Ruto for the official opening of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Japan, a historic platform where Africa and Japan chart new pathways of partnership for growth and shared prosperity,” he noted.

Earlier in the day, Mudavadi accompanied President Ruto to Yokohama City Hall, where the President addressed the City Assembly and held talks with its President, Shibuya Takeshi. The discussions reaffirmed ties between Kenya and Yokohama, deepening a relationship that has long symbolised cooperation between Africa and Japan.

“Earlier in the day, I joined the President at Yokohama City Hall, where he addressed the City assembly and held productive talks with the President of the city assembly, Shibuya Takeshi, reaffirming the spirit of friendship between Kenya and Yokohama,” Mudavadi said.

The Prime CS emphasised that Kenya is demonstrating leadership in reshaping how displacement is handled on the continent. By focusing on dignity, economic participation, and inclusion, he said, refugees and their host communities can both become engines of growth rather than victims of circumstance.

Mudavadi’s remarks come at a time when Africa continues to grapple with one of the largest refugee populations globally, with millions displaced by conflict, climate change, and economic instability. His call for economic inclusion highlights a broader push by African leaders to move beyond aid-based approaches and embrace policies that promote self-reliance and development.

The discussions in Yokohama placed Kenya at the centre of Africa-Japan cooperation, reinforcing the country’s positioning as a key voice in shaping sustainable solutions for challenges facing the continent.