ID :
90413
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 19:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/90413
The shortlink copeid
African officials to visit Seoul next week for cooperation forum
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the African Union (AU) will hold a
joint high-level forum next week to explore ways to strengthen ties on
development and cooperation on green growth between Seoul and the continent, the
government here said Wednesday.
Some 120 top African officials, including Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade and
foreign ministers from 15 countries such as Libya, Zimbabwe and Egypt, will
attend the second Korea-Africa Forum to be held on Nov. 24 in Seoul, the foreign
ministry said.
South Korea held its first bilateral forum with Africa in November 2006, when
Seoul vowed to increase its official development assistance and increase the
number of volunteer workers to Africa, as well as invite some 1,000 workers and
students from the continent by the end of this year.
Seoul in recent years has been stepping up its diplomacy efforts towards Africa,
with its credit and grant-type aid to the continent rising to a total of US$107.1
million in 2008, compared to $42.4 million in 2005.
The AU maintains regular cooperative forums with the European Union and South
American nations as a whole. Individual countries, such as China, India and
Turkey, also have held bilateral forums with the African continent.
Wade, who is scheduled to hold a summit with President Lee Myung-bak on Nov. 23,
will deliver a keynote speech the following day at the forum's opening.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan will also hold a meeting with his
African counterparts that day to discuss ways of strengthening partnerships and
hammer out a policy statement on future cooperative schemes.
The forum's first sessions will discuss the current state of global climate
change and ways for South Korea and Africa to cooperate in seeking low-carbon and
environmentally-friendly development. In the second session, South Korean
academics will share the country's experience in economic development and explore
ways of strengthening developmental relations both in the public and private
sectors.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the African Union (AU) will hold a
joint high-level forum next week to explore ways to strengthen ties on
development and cooperation on green growth between Seoul and the continent, the
government here said Wednesday.
Some 120 top African officials, including Senegalese President Abdulaye Wade and
foreign ministers from 15 countries such as Libya, Zimbabwe and Egypt, will
attend the second Korea-Africa Forum to be held on Nov. 24 in Seoul, the foreign
ministry said.
South Korea held its first bilateral forum with Africa in November 2006, when
Seoul vowed to increase its official development assistance and increase the
number of volunteer workers to Africa, as well as invite some 1,000 workers and
students from the continent by the end of this year.
Seoul in recent years has been stepping up its diplomacy efforts towards Africa,
with its credit and grant-type aid to the continent rising to a total of US$107.1
million in 2008, compared to $42.4 million in 2005.
The AU maintains regular cooperative forums with the European Union and South
American nations as a whole. Individual countries, such as China, India and
Turkey, also have held bilateral forums with the African continent.
Wade, who is scheduled to hold a summit with President Lee Myung-bak on Nov. 23,
will deliver a keynote speech the following day at the forum's opening.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan will also hold a meeting with his
African counterparts that day to discuss ways of strengthening partnerships and
hammer out a policy statement on future cooperative schemes.
The forum's first sessions will discuss the current state of global climate
change and ways for South Korea and Africa to cooperate in seeking low-carbon and
environmentally-friendly development. In the second session, South Korean
academics will share the country's experience in economic development and explore
ways of strengthening developmental relations both in the public and private
sectors.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
