[Courtesy Call on President Sahle-Work Zewde]

[ROK-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting]

[Courtesy Visit to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed]

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[Courtesy Call on President Sahle-Work Zewde]

1. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Kang Kyung-wha made a visit to Addis Ababa, the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, on July 10, as the first part of her visit to three African countries. She paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed in the morning; held the ROK-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting including an official luncheon with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Gedu Andargachew; and paid a courtesy call to President of Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde in the afternoon.

○ Ethiopia was selected as the first country on Minister Kang’s visit to Africa, given that Ethiopia serves as a center for diplomacy in Africa (a country in which the African Union (AU) Headquarters is located); the only African country that dispatched ground forces to Korea; the ROK’s key partner for development cooperation in Africa (the largest recipient of grant aid by the ROK in Africa); a country that serves to lead peace and reform in the region of the Horn of Africa.

[Courtesy Visit to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed]

2. Minister Kang, first of all, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Abiy on July 10 at 10:00-10:30, and exchanged views on ways to promote the ROK-Ethiopia relations and on the peace processes in the Horn of Africa as well as on the Korean Peninsula.

○ Prime Minister Abiy, mentioning his particular interest and trust in the ROK, suggested that the two countries upgrade their bilateral relations through increasing cooperation in various areas, such as trade, investment, environment, education and customs based on the historical bond created by the Ethiopia’s participation in the Korean War.

○ Minister Kang hailed that since his inauguration last April, Prime Minister Abiy has actively undertaken reform policies for democracy and economic and social development in Ethiopia; and has played the leadership role in pursuing peace and stability in the region by improving relations with the State of Eritrea which has been under conflict with Ethiopia for some two decades and by making mediation efforts to establish the transitional government in the Republic of the Sudan; and expressed the ROK government’s continued support.

○ In the meeting, Minister Kang explained the meetings held at Panmunjeom on June 30, between the leaders of the United States (U.S.) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as among those of the ROK, the DPRK and the U.S., and asked for Prime Minister Abiy’s active support and cooperation with regard to complete denuclearization and the establishment of a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

○ Prime Minister Abiy expressed appreciation for the ROK’s support for Ethiopian efforts to pursue political and economic reform and regional peace; hoped that the two countries’ efforts for achieving regional peace and reconciliation would gain fruitful results in the near future; and voiced Ethiopia’s strong support regarding the peace process on the Korean Peninsula launched by the Moon Jae-in government.

[ROK-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting]

3. Minister Kang, after the visit to Prime Minister Abiy, held the ROK-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Gedu Andargachew at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia at 11:00-12:00; and discussed on issues including high-level exchanges, trade and investment, development cooperation, and regional and multilateral issues.
 
○ The two Ministers commended that bilateral ties have continued to develop since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1963. In particular, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral high-level exchanges in order to reinforce the momentum of continuous cooperation.

4. In addition, the two Ministers, drawing a common understanding of the necessity of enhancing trade and investment between the two countries, decided to accelerate the ongoing negotiation for the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments.

○ Minister Kang, saying that the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a good example that demonstrates the significance of free, fair and non-discriminatory international trade, hoped that the AfCFTA will make contributions not only to the Ethiopia’s economic development, but also to the promotion of trade and investment between the ROK and Ethiopia.

○ In addition, Minister Kang stressed that it is important to build success stories for the ROK companies in Ethiopia as a way for promoting investment, and asked the Ethiopian government’s attention and cooperation to address the difficulties faced by the Korean companies in Ethiopia. 

○ During the meeting, Foreign Minister Gedu said that the Ethiopian government will coordinate closely with the ROK to resolve the difficulties of Korean companies and promote ROK companies’ investment in Ethiopia.

5. The two Ministers noted with appreciation that development cooperation projects implemented by the ROK government contribute to the Ethiopian government’s “Growth and Transformation Plan II” in a range of fields, including the infrastructure, education, science and technology, as well as agriculture and rural development; agreed to increase mutually beneficial development cooperation projects under close consultation between the two countries in the future.

6. The meeting, held six months after the ROK-Ethiopia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the occasion of Davos Forum last January, is seen to have contributed to maintaining the momentum of high-level exchanges between the two countries; and to further step up substantive cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade and investment, development cooperation, and education.

[Courtesy Call on President Sahle-Work Zewde]

7. During her visit to Ethiopia, Minister Kang paid a courtesy call on President Sahle-Work at the National Palace of Ethiopia on July 10 at 15:00-15:30; and exchanged views on issues including assessment on bilateral relations between the ROK and Ethiopia and regional situation

○ The two sides agreed to make ongoing efforts together in order not only to increase bilateral trade and investment and enhance economic and development cooperation in various areas, but also to work closely on the international stage, including the United Nations (UN), on the basis of historical bond created by the Ethiopia’s participation in the Korean War.

○ Going along, Minister Kang expressed support for reform policies carried out by President Sahle-Work and Prime Minister Abiy aimed at reconciliation, peace, democracy and economic development and for Ethiopia’s leadership on achieving peace and stability in the region, under which the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea was concluded.

○ President Sahle-Work, underscoring the importance of building trust between the parties among other issues to end the long-lasting hostile relationship and to achieve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, reaffirmed support for the Moon Jae-in government’s peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

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[Condolences to the Korean War Veterans]

8. On the afternoon of July 10, Minister Kang visited the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Memorial Park; laid a wreath at the memorial for the Ethiopian veterans; met with heads of Ethiopian veterans; and conveyed deep gratitude over the veterans’ noble sacrifice and dedication.

○ In addition, Minister Kang presented family pictures, which were taken as part of the Korea Foundation (KF)’s Global Contribution Program, to some members of the Korean War veterans.

* unofficial translation