President William Ruto emphasised the vital role Korea can play in the transformation of Africa in his speech at the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit on Tuesday.
South Korea’ President Yoon Suk Yeol convened the summit at the Korea International Exhibition Centre in Goyang, South Korea, with the theme “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity.”
According to the president, Africa is eager to explore strong collaborations with Korean businesses in order to leverage the continent’s immense potential into investment and opportunities that will boost employment and the continent’s economy.
Africa has immense potential, but converting it into an opportunity and ultimately an investment requires the involvement of Korean investors and the Korean government, according to Ruto.
He made the point that Africa still has a lot of untapped potential in terms of its resources, which include a young, skilled labour force, an abundance of arable land, significant reserves of renewable energy, and substantial mineral resources.
He indicated that the main areas of collaboration between Korea and Africa include food security, science and technology, peace and security, and health security.
“This summit demonstrates a resolve to elevate this relationship and mobilise political will needed for Africa and Korea to prosper together through mutually beneficial collaborations. To do this, we must leverage on our complementarities and implement win-win strategies on the basis of equal partnership,” said President Ruto.
