Africa wants greater help from Korea

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik delivers welcoming remarks at the 3rd Korea-Africa Forum at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Seoul that brought together officials and other dignitaries from Korea and 18 African nations, Wednesday. Kim said it was time to take relations between Korea and Africa “a notch higher.” (Photo : Yonhap)

The participants of the third Korea-Africa Forum adopted the Seoul Declaration calling for an increase in Korea’s development assistance to the continent and a specific action plan to deepen partnerships.

Under the declaration, Korea vowed to increase non-binding aid to Africa gradually and expand cooperation across the region.

The agreement came after Korean and 150 high-ranking officials from African nations exchanged their ideas on development assistance, trade, and investment at the minister-level meeting, held every three years.

In a keynote speech to the forum, Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik expressed optimism for Korea’s multilateral relations with the African nations.

“If Korea’s development knowhow and experiences are married to the immense growth potential of Africa, the two sides will be able to open a new era for mutual prosperity,” Kim said.

The prime minister predicted that exchange programs and partnerships between Korea and Africa will be continually growing in the future.

In opening remarks to the two-day session, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said that Korea has sent approximately 1,000 aid volunteers to Africa and its development assistance to the continent this year will double the level of 2008.

“Korea is striving to pass our expertise and knowhow on economic growth onto African nations,” he said.

During the forum, participants exchanged their ideas on development assistance, trade, investment, peace and security.

Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and Eduard Koloma, vice minister of foreign affairs and cooperation of Mozambique, also delivered keynote speeches.

Korea has joined the global effort to thwart Somali pirates near the Gulf of Aden and plans to send troops to South Sudan for a peace-keeping operation later this year.

The government launched the Korea-Africa forum in 2006 to bolster partnerships with the continent. During the previous forum, participants discussed ways of tackling challenges facing Africa, such as green growth, poverty reduction and capacity building.

High-profile participants of the third forum include Prime Minister Kim and Michael Sata, president of Zambia, plus eight minister-level and five deputy minister-level officials from Africa.

President Sata, who arrived in Seoul Monday for a five-day visit, delivered a congratulatory message at the forum.

After this, he met President Lee Myung-bak for a summit at Cheong Wa Dae.

The leaders of Korea and Zambia agreed to cooperate in the agricultural sector and infrastructure building of the African nation during a summit held at Cheong Wa Dae Tuesday.

President Lee and President Michael Sata exchanged their ideas on trade, investment, cooperation in energy and development assistance.

Sata is the first Zambian leader to visit Korea since the two sides established diplomatic relations in 1990.

The summit was followed by a luncheon. <The Korea Times/Kang Hyun-kyung>

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