Chronicle Editor
Ranga Mataire, Zimpapers Politics Hub
President Mnangagwa is currently attending the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit, which began today (4 June) in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
The Republic of South Korea (RoK) is an East Asian country located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea.
It’s the first summit of its kind to be held in the RoK since the founding of the country on 15 August 1948.
The summit offers a platform for African leaders and related international organisations to exchange ideas on how to enhance bilateral trade with the East Asian country known for such international brands as LG, Samsung, KIA, Daewoo, Ssangyong and Hyundai Motors.
Themed, “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability and Solidarity,” the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit aims to elevate cooperation between Korea and Africa.
It’s designed to be a platform for discussion featuring not only a summit session for the Heads of State and international organisations but also a series of conference sessions on a wide range of topics- agriculture, ICT, forestry, health, security, tourism and energy.
President of the African Development Bank Group (ADB), Dr Akinwuni Adesina, is also attending the summit- further affirming the cooperation between the Bank and the Korean government running for more than 40 years.
The summit is coming in the wake of the 7th Korea-Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference held last year in September, a key event meant to cement Korea’s longstanding support for developing the African continent.
Rationale for the summit?
The summit follows the launch of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s foreign policy meant to make the RoK, “The Global Pivotal State (GPS)”. The GPS policy aims to build a country capable of altering the distribution of power by maintaining stability within the international political order and expanding networks and cooperation with like-minded nations that share South Korea’s identity, values, and strategic cooperation.
Besides fostering structured bilateral cooperation, the Summit is coming on the heels of South Korea joining the UN Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member of the 2024-25 term together with Japan, Switzerland, Ecuador, Guyana, Mozambique, Malta, Sierra Leone, Algeria, and Slovenia. But South Korea has more leverage over other members in that it is a new Nato partner.
South Korea intends to strengthen its economic, trade, military and global cultural influence. In his recent comments on the Korea-Africa Summit, South Korean President, Yoon, re-emphasised his new foreign policy trajectory saying; “Africa is a key partner for Korea in realising its foreign policy aspiration of becoming a Global Pivotal State (GPS).”
The East Asian country appreciates the strategic position of Africa as home to 1,4 billion people with a Gross Domestic Product of US$3,1 trillion and vast natural resources. Currently, Africa exports three percent of Korean exports and one percent of its imports. The trade is tilted in favour of Africa.
Africa should use its partnership with South Korea – a member of UNSC and a new Nato member, to push for the agenda of removing sanctions on Zimbabwe and South Sudan including seeking permanent solutions in eastern DRC and northernmost part of Mozambique.
While Africa is attending the Korea-Africa Summit as a collective, there are obvious country specific goals being sought by individual countries.
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