Park meets Mozambique President
President Park Geun-hye guides Mozambique President Armando Guebuza to a summit room in Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. / Yonhap
By Kim Tae-gyu
President Park Geun-hye met Tuesday with President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation between the two, which set up diplomatic ties 20 years ago.
This is the first time that a Mozambican head of state is visiting South Korea and is Park’s second summit here since her inauguration in February. Last week, she met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
“We regard Mozambique as an important partner for a win-win growth. On the occasion of President Guebuza’s visit, I hope the two’s relationship will further improve,” Park said.
Guebuza responded that he hopes to collaborate with Korea in such areas as agriculture, tourism, telecom, energy, health, education and minerals.
Abundant in natural resources like natural gas and crude oil, Mozambique’s economy is very promising, given that it has been growing at an annual rate of almost 7 percent since 2007.
Korean companies including Korea Gas Corp. and Hyosung have made inroads into the African country. Trade between the two has also increased from $25 million in 2007 to $110 million last year.
Guebuza became president of Mozambique in 2005 and was reelected for a second five-year term in 2009.