Photo : Foreign Ministry / Yonhap
Experts and government officials from South Korea and dozens of African countries gathered in Seoul on Wednesday for a forum on the partnership between South Korea and Africa.
Hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, the Korea-Africa Partnership forum focused on strengthening cooperation under the theme of joint responses to global challenges.
The forum came ahead of the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to take place in Seoul on June 1 and 2, bringing together foreign ministers and representatives from 54 African countries.
At the forum, experts stressed the need for South Korea to deepen ties with African nations rich in critical minerals and energy resources amid rising geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions linked to the Iran war.
Experts also noted that Africa has emerged as a stable supplier of key resources and an alternative logistics hub through the Cape of Good Hope route and African ports.
The foreign ministry said it plans to finalize key agenda items for the upcoming ministerial meeting based on the discussions and expert recommendations presented at the forum.