News Highlights
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To ensure the successful hosting of the Korea-Africa Forum Summit in South Korea in 2024, the first preparatory committee meeting for the summit, the 'Korea-Africa Forum Summit Preparation Committee,' was held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Wednesday, December 21st.
VIEW MORE- 24.0322 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office and Hyundai Motor Group Sign MOU for Vehicle Support (March 22, 2024) The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office (hereinafter referred to as “Preparatory Office”) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) regarding vehicle support at the conference room of the Preparatory Office on Friday, March 22, 2024. Representing their respective parties, Government Representative for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, Jung Kihong and Executive Vice President Kim Il-bum of the HMG formally signed the MOU. The Preparatory Office and the HMG both acknowledged the significance of the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit—scheduled to take place at KINTEX in Ilsan and across Seoul from Tuesday, June 4 to Wednesday, June 5, 2024—as an opportunity to substantially enhance collaboration between Korea and Africa. Through the MOU, both parties committed collaborative efforts aiming to ensure the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. As part of the commitment, the HMG will supply approximately 120 official protocol vehicles to facilitate the transportation needs of African leaders and their spouses during the Summit. During the signing ceremony, Government Representative for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Jung Kihong emphasized Africa's evolving position in the global diplomatic arena and expressed his belief that the provision of vehicles by the HMG, Korea’s leading automaker, would contribute to the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. He also expressed his hope for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit to provide diverse opportunities for Korean companies in their business with Africa, a continent brimming with potentials. In response, Executive Vice President Kim appreciated this opportunity for HMG to contribute official vehicles for the first Korea-Africa Summit to be held in Korea. He emphasized that providing vehicles for the Summit, which will be attended by a number of African leaders, presents a remarkable opportunity to showcase the competitiveness of the Genesis brand.
- 24.0228 Consultative Meeting with African Group of Ambassadors in Preparation for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit (February 28, 2024) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a meeting with the African Group of Ambassadors (AGA) in Korea, including both resident and non-resident ambassadors, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The purpose of the gathering was to discuss the preparations status and future plans for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. ※ Officials from 47 African embassies in Korea, including 15 resident ambassadors (Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zambia) and 11 non-resident ambassadors (Benin, Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Seychelles, Uganda, and Zimbabwe) attended the meeting. Before the commencement of the consultative meeting, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun held a pre-meeting with the AGA. Vice Minister Kim emphasized the significance of having both resident and non-resident ambassadors, including those from China, Japan, and Malaysia to participate in the meeting for the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. He highlighted the Korean government's commitment to expanding relations with Africa, based on its hopes to establish a mutually beneficial, sustainable, and long-lasting partnership. Vice Minister Kim also urged AGA’s active involvement and contributions and underscored the fact that African countries’ interest and participation are pivotal in driving the Summit’s success. Ambassador of Gabon to Korea Carlos Victor Boungou, Dean of the AGA, commended the Korean government's efforts in closely communicating with Africa by continuously holding consultation meetings since the establishment of the MOFA-AGA Joint Consultative Committee in May 2023. In addition, Ambassador Boungou expressed his appreciation for the strengthened exchanges since President Yun Suk Yeol took office and Korea's endorsement of the African Union (AU)'s permanent membership of the G20. He also reiterated the AGA’s commitment to providing concerted support for the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. Following the pre-meeting, the consultative meeting commenced under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won. Deputy Minister Chung shared the result of his visit to Ethiopia on February 19-21, where he discussed the Summit with various high-level officials, including the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. Additionally, Jung Kihong, the newly appointed Government Representative for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, provided updates on the status of preparations, particularly in terms of public relations and protocol. Afterwards, the participants engaged in intensive discussions concerning the protocols and administrative affairs of the Summit, as well as discussions on side events and the possible outcomes of the Summit. The AGA expressed appreciation for the Korean government’s communication endeavors and stressed the importance of making the Summit a win-win and an outcome-driven occasion through meticulous consultations. Furthermore, both parties agreed to hold a Senior Official Meeting (SOM) in the forthcoming period. Delegations from each African country will attend the SOM and address critical issues such as the documentation of the Summit's outcome. Since establishing the MOFA-AGA Joint Consultative Committee in May 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained ongoing formal and informal consultation meetings. It will continue to bolster communication and collaboration with the African side, including AGA in Korea, to incorporate Africa’s expectations and needs for the Summit.
- 24.0202 Second Meeting of 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Commission (February 2, 2024) Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted the second meeting of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Commission on Friday, February 2, 2024, in the presence of participants from 25 government agencies, relevant organizations, and local governments. ※ The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Commission, with Minister of Foreign Affairs as its Chairperson, consists of vice minister-level or other high-ranking officials from government agencies as well as vice mayors of local governments. - Ministry of Economy and Finance; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Science and ICT; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of National Defense; Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Ministry of Health and Welfare; Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Employment and Labor; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport; Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Ministry of SMEs and Startups; Presidential Security Service; Office for Government Policy Coordination; Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; Korea Customs Service; Public Procurement Service; Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Korea Forest Service; Korea Disease Control and Preventive Agency; Statistics Korea; Seoul Metropolitan Government; Goyang City, etc. In his opening remarks, Foreign Minister Cho took note of the necessity for cooperation with Africa in light of the growing influence of the Global South, and stressed that cooperation with Africa is not a choice but a necessity in realizing Korea's vision to become a Global Pivotal State dedicated to fostering freedom, peace, and prosperity worldwide. Foreign Minister Cho detailed that the Korean government wishes for the Korea-Africa Summit to lay the foundation for a genuine partnership between the two regions, fostering long-term and mutually beneficial cooperative ties. In this context, Foreign Minister Cho urged all agencies to closely collaborate in preparing for the Summit, highlighting that this is the Korean government's first-ever summit with Africa. He called upon the agencies to solidify projects regarding Africa across diverse domains of cooperation and emphasized the thorough planning of side events. Following the first Preparatory Commission meeting in October, the second meeting served to invigorate full-scale preparations by establishing a close coordination mechanism among all government agencies, local governments, and pertinent organizations for the success of the Summit.
- 23.1222 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Holds Africa Expert Roundtable (December 22, 2023) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a luncheon meeting with a group of African experts on Friday, December 22, 2023. The purpose of the meeting was to identify potential projects regarding Africa and find ways for promoting them at home and abroad ahead of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. The meeting was attended by five African experts based in Korea, who offered in-depth analyses of Africa's political landscape and economic outlook. They also shared insightful perspectives to guide the Korean government’s development, economic, and private sector cooperation with Africa. ※ A total of 50 participants took part in the meeting, including Kim Eun-jeong, Director-General for African and Middle Eastern Affairs; Oh Jin-hee, Deputy Executive Director of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office (hereinafter referred to as “Preparatory Office”); Chung Kwang-yong, Deputy Director-General for African and Middle Eastern Affairs; Cho Wonbin, Professor at Sungkyunkwan University; Kim Taekyoon, Professor at Seoul National University; Lee Jinsang, Professor at Korea Aerospace University; Seo Sang-Hyun, Researcher at POSCO Research Institute; and Heo Sung-yong, Leader of Africa Insight. The participants emphasized that the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, a first-ever event to be hosted in Korea, ought to serve as an opportunity to significantly broaden substantial cooperation between Korea and Africa, setting a precedent for a model of mutually beneficial collaboration between the two regions. Professor Cho shared his analysis of African political systems and democratic progression and proposed ways to promote the spread of democracy. Professor Kim underscored the significance of reforming Africa's tax structures and reinforcing educational collaboration and stated that Korea should serve as a bridge between developed and developing countries. Professor Lee stressed that science and engineering should be the focal point in driving economic growth and industrial advancement in Africa. Dr. Seo highlighted the importance of securing key mineral supply chains and exploring collaborative opportunities in clean energy development with Africa. Mr. Heo recommended the development of participatory programs specifically designed for the general public in Korea to increase public awareness of Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to communicate with experts, attentively listen to their insights to advance Korea-Africa relations across diverse sectors for the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit.
- 23.1113 Plaque Unveiling Ceremony for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office and Luncheon Hosted by Foreign Minister (November 13, 2023) Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin hosted the plaque unveiling ceremony for the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office (hereinafter referred to as “Preparatory Office”) and a luncheon at Seohee Hall, located on the 18th floor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, on Monday, November 13, 2023. Participants included both resident and non-resident officials of the African diplomatic corps, members of the National Assembly, co-chair of the National Assembly’s Forum for Africa’s New Era Sul Hoon (Democratic Party of Korea), and other stakeholders from Korea and abroad. At the dinner for African Ambassadors held under the title of "Korea and Africa, Together with Africa" on November 23, 2023, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his initiative to host the Korea-Africa Summit, which marks the largest multilateral meeting of his term. President Yoon emphasized his administration's commitment to fostering unprecedentedly close ties with not only neighboring countries but also countries across the globe, in accordance with the Korean government’s vision of becoming a Global Pivotal State (GPS). In alignment with this vision, Korea will host the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit in 2024, aiming to promote future-oriented and sustainable cooperation with Africa. In his welcoming remarks, Foreign Minister Park highlighted the Korean government's earnest preparations over the past year following President Yoon's announcement of the Korea-Africa Summit. He stressed that the plaque unveiling ceremony for the Preparatory Office serves as a tangible demonstration of the Korean government's commitment to enhancing cooperation with Africa, not merely in words but also in actions. Moreover, Foreign Minister Park urged the African diplomatic corps to actively contribute creative ideas and collaborative projects to ensure that the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit yields mutually prosperous outcomes, tapping into the respective strengths of Korea and Africa. In response, the African diplomatic corps in Korea expressed appreciation for the Korean government's sincere preparations for the Summit and pledged to continue active communication to ensure its success. Additionally, Foreign Minister Park outlined the Korean government's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, calling on 54 African countries to support the city. He underscored that the 2030 World Expo in Busan—a symbol of Korea's economic development—presents an opportunity to find solutions for humanity’s common challenges and share Korea’s economic growth experiences and insights that enabled its transition from a developing to a developed country. He explained that the event would become "global solution platform" that can bolster cooperation between Korea and Africa. After the plaque unveiling ceremony, Foreign Minister Park hosted a luncheon where the African diplomatic corps in Korea warmly received the dynamic performances by the Ambiguous Dance Company and the Lively Crew, dance groups that blend Korean traditions with modern sensibilities. After the Cabinet’s approval to host the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in April and with the enactment of the Presidential Decree to establish the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Preparatory Office in July, the Preparatory Office was officially inaugurated in August with Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won’s lead. Currently, the office is diligently preparing for the Summit. The plaque unveiling ceremony for the Preparatory Office, coupled with the luncheon, served to heighten awareness and understanding of Africa both domestically and internationally, ahead of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. Additionally, these events reiterated the sincere dedication of the Korean government to bolster a forward-looking partnership between Korea and Africa.
