Ugandan President's affection for Korea

By Lee Dong-geun

I visited Uganda in May as part of an economic delegation to Africa. The delegation was organized to support the expansion of Korean businesses into Uganda, which, together with Ghana, has risen as a leader in East Africa. Our visit also marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uganda.

Uganda boasts a splendid natural environment, which is so fascinating that Winston Churchill proclaimed it as the “Pearl of Africa.” The country features fertile plateaus and abundant water resources thanks to its geographical proximity to Lake Victoria. Uganda recently set out to develop its crude oil, minerals, and other natural resources and is hailed for its high potential for growth.

The South Korean delegation included approximately 20 business executives from established Korean companies in plant, construction and telecommunications. Some businesses reaped tangible results during our visit, finalizing export agreements with local businesses through one-to-one business meetings. Ugandan businesses showed a strong interest in their Korean counterparts, probably owing to their knowledge of the Saemaeul Movement (New Community Movement) and other Korean wave phenomena.

Our delegation also enjoyed a rare and unexpected occasion ― meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Normally, such an occasion would have required the South Korean government to send a special envoy in request for a meeting, and we would have had to wait days to learn whether the meeting would be approved.

The meeting was materialized thanks to the tireless efforts of Park Jong-dae, South Korean ambassador to Uganda, but equally important was President Museveni's strong interest in Korea. President Museveni was familiar with former South Korean President Park Chung-hee and how the Saemaeul Movement transformed the South Korean economy. President Museveni had also visited Panmunjeom and Pyongyang during his visits to North Korea and had a good understanding of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

President Museveni's interest in and affection for Korea presents a great diplomatic opportunity for us. It also means great opportunities for Korean businesses that have difficulty accessing Africa due to a lack of human resources networks.

Africa is a fast emerging market. After recording $300 billion in 1990, Africa's aggregate GDP surpassed the 1 trillion dollar mark in 2010. In the last decade, six of the top 10 fastest growing economies are in Africa.

The African market has drawn fierce competition from many countries in the world. China continues to expand its influence in Africa through massive loans. Japan, which tapped into Africa earlier than South Korea, has continued to see progress in the region. With India and Turkey setting their sights on Africa, the competition will likely become more competitive.

Korea's entry into Africa is still in the beginning stages. Korean businesses only account for a meager 3.3 percent of all construction orders in Sub-Saharan Africa; the market share of South Korean household goods and automobiles is also far below that of China and Japan, which enjoy active support from their governments.

Our late entry warrants a strategic approach. We should give top priority to building a network in countries where we already have a presence. We must reinforce our human resources network in Africa in line with our rising ODA commitments there. An African proverb goes: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” To share the fruits of sustainable growth in Africa, we should first learn to befriend the African people.

President Museveni will visit Korea on May 29-31 as the first Ugandan head of state to make an official visit to Korea. Subsequent to the visit of the South Korean economic delegation to Uganda, his visit will offer a great opportunity to strengthen our bilateral ties. In our last meeting, the President said he could not forget the taste of ``baekseolgi,’’ sweet rice cake. How about giving President Museveni a taste of Korea by offering him baekseolgi during the summit luncheon?

The author is executive vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.