1. The first policy consultation will take place between the Republic of Korea and the 54-member African Union (AU) at the ROK Foreign Ministry on September 11 to seek a closer bilateral cooperation. The ROK and AU head delegates to the meeting will be Director-General for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Park Yong-min of the Foreign Ministry and Fatoumata Kaba Sidibe, Chair of the AU Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC) and Ambassador of Guinea to Ethiopia, respectively.

※ The AU was founded in 2002 to replace the Organization for African Unity (OAU), which had been established in May 1963. Its purposes are to accelerate the unity of Africa; promote shared interests and position; work together for peace and security in the region; eradicate poverty and achieve economic development; and seek democracy, the rule of law and good governance. The AU headquarters is in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

※ The AU PRC, comprised of ambassadors to the AU, is the AU’s de facto decision-making body that assists with matters related to the Conference of Ministers.

° Having become an AU observer in 2005 with the aim to strengthen its partnership with the body, the ROK has held the ministerial ROK-Africa forum since 2006. The forthcoming policy consultation will be held for the first time to discuss ways to follow up on results of ROK-Africa forums pursuant to the ROK-AU memorandum of understanding on cooperation concluded in 2016.

※ Also among the ROK delegates to the upcoming consultation will be officials from such relevant government agencies as the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and the Ministry of Education.

2. At the consultation, the two sides will extensively discuss the full range of matters concerning the ROK-AU cooperation, including the outcome of the fourth ROK-Africa forum and ways to follow up on it; ways to work together on the international stage; and the situations in the two regions.

° In particular, the consultation will cover in depth ways to implement the measures in the “framework for ROK-Africa cooperation,” the outcome document of the fourth ROK-Africa forum held in Ethiopia in December 2016.

° In addition, with regard to North Korea’s recent sixth nuclear test, the ROK side will share its position with the AU side and ask for the AU’s support.

3. The AU is a pivotal mechanism in Africa that brings the countries on the continent together for peace and economic integration in the region. Going forward, the ROK government will continuously seek to enhance its relations with the AU in a bid to diversify its diplomacy.


* unofficial translation