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| Participants of the Korea-Africa Business Forum discuss promoting cooperation in a contactless economy during last year's event hosted by the Korea-Africa Foundation in this Nov. 19, 2020 photo. This year's forum, themed "Integrated Africa, New Era for Transformative Partnership" will be held in a hybrid format on Dec. 9. Courtesy of Korea Africa Foundation |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea and African countries have joined hands to boost economic and academic ties, trying to expand and diversify the layers of cooperation.
As of the efforts to improve relations, the Korea-Africa Foundation (KAF), an affiliate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which aims to promote relations with African countries in various fields, will host the Korea-Africa Business Forum on Dec. 9 and the Seoul Dialogue on Africa (SDA), Dec. 10.
Lyeo Woon-ki, president of the KAF, said both events are seeking to establish practical partnerships between Korea and Africa, especially in terms of economic cooperation after the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was commenced on Jan. 1 this year.
"This year, the Korea-Africa Business Forum is organized to enhance understanding on the AfCFTA and search for new strategies in business cooperation. We expect the forum to establish a foothold for business opportunities between Korea and Africa," Lyeo said.
"We live in an era when coordinated global action and multilateral cooperation is needed more than ever in global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. The SDA will center on healthcare governance, climate change and peace and security, providing an opportunity for experts and stakeholders in government, academics and the private sector to share ideas and discuss ways for Korea-Africa cooperation."
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| Poster for the Korea-Africa Business Forum / Courtesy of Korea-Africa Foundation |
The business forum, which will in hosted in a hybrid format with speakers from Africa participating online due to the pandemic, will provide understanding on the AfCFTA as well as the changing market situation in Africa and seek new opportunities for cooperation between Korea and Africa.
Lyeo will deliver opening remarks, followed by welcoming remarks by Choi Jong-moon, second vice minister of foreign affairs.
Albert Muchanga, African Union commissioner for economic development, trade, industry and mining (ETIM), and Woo Tae-hee, executive vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce, will give congratulatory speeches.
Khaled Sherif, vice president for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex at the African Development Bank, will present a keynote speech.
The AfCFTA is the world's largest free trade area, encompassing 1.27 billion people in 54 African countries with an estimated $3 trillion in combined GDP, which could be a game-changer in the global economy.
Each African country is not just a market, but also a production base in the context of intra-African trade, opening up new possibilities of cooperation for Korean companies. The forum will discuss ways to boost cooperation under the AfCFTA.
Park Young-ho, senior research fellow of the Africa and Middle East Team at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), will moderate the first session titled "New Africa-Korea Partnership following the Implementation of the AfCFTA."
Wamkele Mene, secretary general of the AfCFTA Secretariat, will present ways for productive transformation in the post-COVID-19 era with AfCFTA.
Park Heon, director general of ICT and Data Policy Bureau at the Korea Customs Service, will explain how the customs service will expand customs clearance infrastructure to support successful implementation of AfCFTA and cooperation with Korea.
Seo Sang-hyun, senior researcher at the POSCO Research Institute, will participate in the panel discussion with delegations from Africa.
The second session titled "Prospects and Opportunities for Infrastructure Investment in the Integrated Africa," will be moderated by Ndzana Olomo Patrick, senior economist and policy officer of investments and resource mobilization at the African Union Commission.
Koffi Klousseh, managing director and head of Project Development at Africa 50 Infrastructure Fund, will make an online presentation entitled "Expanding Potential for Value Creation of African Resources through Infrastructure."
Lee Hyon-jong, director general of Economic Development Cooperation Fund (ECDF) Operation Department 3 at Export-Import Bank of Korea, supervising investment in Africa, will discuss trends and strategies for investing in infrastructure in Africa through policy financing.
Naoshige Kinoshita, principal external relations and communication officer at African Development Bank; Sheen Dong-woo, head of Middle East & Africa Division at the International Contractors Association of Korea; and Suh Sang-won, vice president of Global Marketing Group Overseas Marketing Team at Daewoo E&C Overseas, will take part in a panel discussion.
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| Roberta Comunian of King's College London presents during last year's Seoul Dialogue on Africa, organized by the Korea-Africa Foundation, in this Dec. 9, 2020 photo. The fourth edition this year, themed "Rethinking Solidarity: Korea-Africa Partnership in the Interconnectivity Era," will be held in a hybrid format, Dec. 10. Courtesy of Korea-Africa Foundation |
The KAF also puts much effort in reshaping the perceptions on Africa in Korea, and the SDA, first launched in 2018, seeks to promote mutual understanding between Korea and Africa.
This year, the fourth SDA will be held Dec. 10 in a hybrid format, with aims of building a strategic partnership between Korea and Africa, facilitating research on Africa here and strengthening networks between scholars and researchers.
KAF President Lyeo will once again open the forum, while first vice foreign minister Choi Jong-kun will deliver welcoming remarks.
Sul Hoon, president of the National Assembly's Forum for Africa's New Era; Shin Hyun-young, secretary-general of the forum; and Carlos Victor Boungou, ambassador of Gabon to Korea and dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, will give congratulatory messages.
Ban Ki-moon, former U.N. secretary-general and chairman of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future, will present a keynote speech.
The first session of the SDA will shed light on healthcare issues, which gained extra importance during the pandemic.
Lee Hoon-sang, co-founder of the Global Health & Development Partners, will moderate a session titled "Health Care Governance and Partnership Strategies between Korea and Africa."
Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, deputy director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, will provide insight on "The Current Status of African Health & Medical System and its Challenges," while Kim Eun-mi, technical officer of the World Health Organization, will discuss issues on "Understanding the Medicine Public Procurement System in Africa and its Application."
Kim Sung-hye, professor of Medical School at Hanyang University, will give a presentation about "Integrated and Practical Measures for Korea-Africa Health Care Cooperation."
Fred Binka, professor of University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana and Kim Eok, secretary-general of the Africa Future Foundation, will take part in the panel discussion.
The second session, moderated by Choi Yeol, chief director of the Korea Green Foundation, will focus on "Climate Change Adaptation, Peace and Security in the Interconnectivity Era."
Lim Gi-dae, director of the African Studies Center at Busan University of Foreign Studies, will talk about climate change response to prevent conflict in the Sahel region, while Kulthoum Omari-Motsumi, special advisor to the Africa Adaptation Initiative, will share the current status of climate finance for Africa.
Panelists Kim Hyo-eun, ambassador and deputy minister for climate change and former deputy director general of the Global Green Growth Institute, and Kwon Taek-ryoun, director general of Technology Cooperation Bureau of the Rural Development Administration, will discuss climate change and peace issues in Africa with African delegations.
