The Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened a Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) co-chaired by Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won and Ambassador Sidya EL HADJ of Mauritania on Monday, April 29. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the progress of preparations for the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit scheduled to take place on June 4-5.
※ This year, Mauritania holds the chairmanship of the African Union (AU) and will co-host the summit session of the Korea-Africa Summit.
※ The meeting was attended by representatives from 13 African countries, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Benin, Permanent Secretary II of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Gambia, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau. Additionally, those from the African Group of Ambassadors (AGA) in Korea (both resident and non-resident) from 31 countries were present, representing a total of 44 African nations.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Chung expressed appreciation for the close cooperation and support from the African side in preparation for the upcoming Summit, just 36 days away. He underscored the Korean government's outreach and promotional efforts to encourage African leaders' participation and urged both sides to collaborate closely to ensure the Summit's success, which holds significant importance for the future of Korea-Africa diplomacy.
Ambassador Sidya EL HADJ of Mauritania commended the Korean side's effective communication with African countries during Summit preparations. He conveyed Mauritania’s commitment to playing an active role in ensuring a successful outcome as the co-host of the summit session.
During the meeting, discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation under the Summit’s slogan, “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity.”
Both sides resonated with the need to promote economic cooperation through increased trade and investment, as well as expand the related institutional framework. They also agreed that sharing of Korea's experience and technology will facilitate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), thereby contributing to Africa's economic development.
Furthermore, discussions addressed enhancing bilateral collaboration to address complex global challenges such as health, energy, climate change, and supply chain disruptions, along with bolstering cooperation in peace and security, in line with both sides’ increasing global roles and responsibilities.
The Korean side provided detailed briefings on the latest preparations for the Summit, and engaged in discussions with the African side regarding protocol and administrative matters.
Following discussions at the SOM, both sides committed to thorough preparations for the Korea-Africa Summit. They also agreed to hold a meeting of Foreign Ministers from Korea and Africa on Sunday, June 2 to finalize Summit preparations.
Since establishing the MOFA-AGA Joint Consultative Committee in May 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained ongoing formal and informal consultation meetings and will continue to communicate with the African side to incorporate Africa’s expectations and needs, ensuring that the Summit is mutually beneficial.