By Na Jeong-ju
KINSHASA — President Lee Myung-bak’s trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia from Thursday to Sunday is focused on sharing Korea’s development experience and knowhow with the African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.
The strategy is to help the continent “stand on its own feet” economically and increase its contribution to sustainable growth of the global economy.
In Ethiopia, Lee will unveil Korea’s new initiative for Africa’s solid and sustainable development, Lee’s aides said.
“Africa’s economic development will create new demand for the global economy. All countries in the world will have to seek closer ties with the continent,” President Lee said during a business forum here.
“We are ready to provide all available assistance to African countries, including DR Congo, to help speed up their economic development. We are ready to be a partner in opening the new era.”
Lee arrived in the Congolese capital on Thursday from Durban in South Africa, where he helped PyeongChang’s last-minute bidding activities for the 2018 Winter Olympics. The South Korean bidder beat Germany’s Munich and France’s Annecy in an IOC vote Wednesday to be chosen as the host of the Olympics.
It’s the first visit by a South Korean leader to Congo since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1963.
Later in the day, Lee held a summit with Congolese President Joseph Kabila on boosting bilateral economic ties.
At the talks, Lee offered to share Korea’s economic development experience with Congo and offered to cooperate in transferring agricultural technology, human resources training and drawing up national development strategies.
Congo has been trying to rebuild since the end of a civil war in 2003. Korea is currently helping Kinshasa modernize its industrial infrastructure and develop rural areas by sharing the experience of the Saemaeul (New Village) Movement, a government-initiated rural development campaign in the 1970s.
Korea’s participation in reconstruction efforts is based on the principle of mutual benefits by combining the strong points of the two countries — Korea’s technologies and DR Congo’s natural resources, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The two sides later issued a joint communique on their economic partnership and signed agreements to jointly develop social infrastructure and natural resources.
Lee’s African trip reflects Korea’s growing economic ties with the continent. The country has increased Official Development Assistance to African nations since 2009 as part of a plan to triple its economic aid to poor countries around the world by 2015 to help achieve balanced global growth.
“Our focus on sharing development experience will help expand economic cooperation with the continent, which will emerge as Korea’s major trading partner in the long term,” presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said.
“By participating in various development programs in African countries, Seoul can promote social and cultural exchanges as well.”