1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting of experts on Africa on November 23 as part of efforts to pursue diplomacy where public opinion is reflected through cooperation with private sector experts.

o The meeting brought together about 40 experts on Africa, including chairman Lee Joo-young of the National Assembly Forum for Africa's New Era, and lawmaker Kim Kyu-hwan, the ranking member of the forum, as well as experts from the Korea-Africa Center, institutes for African studies at domestic universities, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea International Trade Association, and NGOs in the ROK.

※ The National Assembly Forum for Africa's New Era was created in September 2013 to promote high-level exchanges between parliaments and enhance understanding on Africa.

※ The Korea-Africa Center was launched in January 2015 to play the role of a think tank on Africa and increase exchanges between the public and private sectors of the two sides.

2. In the meeting, participants exchanged a range of views on the direction of the new ROK government’s Africa policy, the ROK-Africa foundation act passed at the National Assembly, and accomplishments achieved at the ROK-Africa business forum, held on October 25.

o Participants gave their opinions on ways to devise differentiated strategies towards Africa, and expand substantial exchanges through not only development assistance, but culture and arts, as well as the need to enhance the people’s awareness and understanding of Africa, and expressed expectations for the launch of the ROK-Africa foundation.

※ The ROK-Africa business forum was co-hosted by the Foreign Ministry, the Korea-Africa Center, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the African Union (AU), a union consisting of 54 African countries, at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on October 25.

3. Amid expectations that cooperation with Africa will increase with the ROK-Africa foundation act passed, the meeting is expected to serve as an opportunity for experts in various fields to exchange a wide range of views, and thereby strengthen the ROK’s Africa diplomacy where public opinion is reflected by mobilizing the capabilities of the government and the private sector.


* unofficial translation