President Yoon Hosts Korea's First Africa Multilateral Summit... Participation of 48 Countries

by Kim Minyoung

Published 01 Jun.2024 18:55(KST)

President Yoon Suk-yeol will preside over the 'Korea-Africa Summit' on the 4th and 5th of this month.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This summit is the first multilateral summit Korea is hosting targeting Africa, and it is expected to be the largest since the government took office.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 1st, the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit will be held in Korea on the 4th and 5th. The Presidential Office described it as "the largest multilateral summit since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration" and "the first multilateral summit Korea is hosting targeting Africa."

Forty-eight African countries will participate in the summit. Among the 55 member countries of the African Union (AU), a political union of African continent countries, all except seven countries unable to attend for political reasons have accepted the invitation.

Among them, heads of state from 25 countries will visit Korea, and President Yoon will hold summit talks with all of them.

The Presidential Office explained that African countries actively hope for cooperation with Korea, the only country that has developed from a developing country to an advanced country after World War II.

The Presidential Office expects that this summit will enhance Korea's access to Africa's abundant mineral resources and secure allies in resolving issues such as North Korea's nuclear problem.

A Presidential Office official said, "Following the Korea-Pacific Island Countries Summit, this Korea-Africa Summit will confirm Korea's status as a global pivotal country."

President Yoon began his official African summit diplomacy schedule on the 31st of last month with a luncheon meeting with the Sierra Leonean president.

On the 2nd, President Yoon will hold separate lunch and dinner meetings with the presidents of Tanzania and Ethiopia, followed by a welcome dinner with the delegations of participating countries on the 3rd.

The main summit event will be held on the 4th. On the 5th, the '2024 Korea-Africa Business Summit,' hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea International Trade Association, will take place.