1. A government delegation of the Republic of Korea (ROK), composed of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea-Africa Foundation, attended the 7^th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7), a high-level international meeting on African development hosted by the Japanese government on a triennial basis. During the Conference, the delegation learned about the progress in major countries’ cooperation with Africa and discussed with other participants ways to work with the international community in the field.

° The Conference brought together high-level delegations of 53 African countries, high-level delegates of international organizations such as Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, and delegations of donors/partners, including the ROK, the People’s Republic of China and the European Union. At the formal invitation of the Japanese government, the ROK government sent a delegation headed by Director-General for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hong Jin-wook.

2. On the occasion of the Conference, the delegation explained that the ROK, based on its experience of transforming from an aid recipient to a donor through participation in the global free trade order and with assistance from the international community, will continue close cooperation with the international community in helping Africa realize its visions of integration, peace and prosperity.

3. The delegation also had director-general-level Policy Consultations with the Republic of Angola and China as well as a working luncheon with non-resident African diplomats to the ROK, including those from the Republic of Botswana and the Republic of Uganda. During those events, the delegation explained the ROK government’s efforts to strengthen its diplomacy toward Africa. Amid Africa’s active efforts to achieve its visions of integration, peace and prosperity, including the recent official launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the two sides agreed to continue cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges, in a bid to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the ROK and African countries.

° In the director-general-level Policy Consultation between the ROK and China, which is deepening its cooperative ties with Africa, including by holding the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the two sides exchanged views on the possibility of complementary cooperation in Africa.

4. The dispatch of the government delegation to the international conference on Africa came after the launch of the Korea-Africa Foundation in June 2018; the Prime Minister’s visits to a total of five African countries in July and December 2018; the visit to three African countries -- the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of South Africa -- by Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha in early July 2019; and the ROK-Ethiopia summit held on August 26 during the official visit to the ROK by Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed. Through the government delegation dispatched to TICAD 7, the ROK is seen to have demonstrated its commitment to strengthen its diplomacy toward Africa with the aim to seek mutually beneficial partnership.