Seoul holds forum with delegates from Africa
Published: 23 Nov. 2009, 22:32
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, left, shakes hands with Korean President Lee Myung-bak during a summit meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul yesterday. [REUTERS]
Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade met for a summit in Seoul yesterday, and Lee vowed to strengthen Korea’s ties with Senegal. Lee also pledged to more than double Korea’s aid to the African continent over the next three years.
According to the Blue House, Lee said during the summit that Korea considers Senegal one of the major recipients of its official development assistance, or ODA, and that Korea would continue to provide help in the agriculture, social services and education sectors. The Korean presidential office added that Wade expressed his gratitude for Korea’s commitment to aid and stressed that Senegal hopes to learn from Korea’s experience in economic development.
Wade is in Seoul to attend the Korea-Africa Forum that takes place today at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul. Korea and the African Union are co-hosts of the forum’s second event. Representatives from 15 African nations, led by Gabon’s Jean Ping, the head of the African Union, will take part in the event. The forum will set the table for discussions on an environmentally friendly growth partnership between Korea and Africa, and on cooperation for development, including Korea’s sharing of its development experience with Africa. Participants are also expected to adopt the 2009 Seoul Declaration, detailing Korea’s pledge to further increase its aid to the continent.
The first forum was held in November 2006 on the foundation of Korea’s Initiative for Africa’s Development. At the inaugural event, with five heads of state in attendance, Korea pledged it would triple its development assistance to Africa by 2008 and also invite about 1,000 workers and students from Africa to study Korea’s economic rise.
Seoul’s ODA to Africa increased from $42.4 million in 2005 to $107.1 million in 2008, according to the Foreign Ministry. Organizers in Seoul had been billing this year’s forum as an opportunity for Korea to strengthen its partnership with Africa and expand its role as a global player. Wade applauded Korea’s efforts to expand its ties with African nations and Lee said Korea will try to promote Africa’s interests at the G-20 summit in Seoul next year.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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