On December 19, commencing at 5:00 p.m. for approximately 55 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with H.E. Ms. Aïssata TALL SALL, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of the Republic of Senegal, who was accompanying H.E. Mr. Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal, on his visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. At the outset, Minister Hayashi expressed his pleasure to have this face-to-face meeting with Minister TALL SALL, following the video conference in March this year. He stated that Japan and Senegal are strategically important partners which share the fundamental values and principles such as democracy and the rule of law, and that he would like to further strengthen cooperation in various fields in light of the increasing importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law. In response, Minister TALL SALL stated that she would like to congratulate with Minister Hayashi the first official visit of President SALL to Japan. Minister TALL SALL also stated that following the summit meeting, she would like to confirm that the Foreign Ministers will also cooperate in the bilateral and international arena.
2. The two Ministers shared the view that Africa plays an increasingly important role in the international community in recent years and concurred to raise Japan-Africa relations to a new height through TICAD process. In this relation, Minister Hayashi reiterated that Japan supports the joining of the African Union to G20, and Minister TALL SALL expressed her gratitude.
3. Minister Hayashi expressed his appreciation for Minister TALL SALL’s support for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), and the two Ministers affirmed the importance of upholding and strengthening of a free and open international order based on the rule of law. The two Ministers also discussed the Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and affirmed the importance to defend the principles on which the international community should rely, when the Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are violated and a worldwide food crisis is caused. Furthermore, the two Ministers shared the view that they will cooperate on strengthening the functions of the United Nations, in particular the reform of the Security Council, aiming for the commencement of text-based negotiations, as stated on the Joint Statement between Japan and Senegal.
4. The two Ministers also discussed regional and international issues such as development finance, the response to North Korea including the nuclear, missile issues and the abductions issues, and they affirmed their continuing cooperation of the two countries.

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