The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, has invited his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, to the inaugural Korea-Africa summit next month.

According to the state minister for foreign affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, the invitation of President Museveni and other African leaders has come at a time when Uganda and the continent need to tap into the South Korean experiences to bolster social-economic transformation.

“Our going there will help us learn lessons from South Korea, especially on how they transformed their country within a short period. In our case, South Korea is a very important country. At one time, Uganda was ahead of South Korea. Uganda even gave aid to South Korea, but somehow, along the way, South Korea left us. So, the forthcoming summit is a timely event,” Oryem said.

Organised under the theme, “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity,” the Korea-Africa summit will take place at Kintex in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea from June 4-5, 2024.

At the summit, Oryem said, the Uganda team that will be led by President Museveni, will propel partnerships between Korean investors and Uganda in the areas of technology, agriculture, trade, business, industry, manufacturing, oil and gas, education and infrastructure development.

President Museveni is expected to grace the Summit in June this year. PPU Photo

“We want to meet and discuss with quality investors that will add value to our raw materials in Uganda. South Korea is a friendly country, and Uganda enjoys a special relationship with South Korea. So, we shall seek what is best for Uganda during the summit, and also enhance the already cordial relations between our two countries,” Oryem added.

Why the summit is vital

Speaking to New Vision recently, South Korea’s deputy minister for political affairs, Chung Byung-won, said the summit is a reflection of President Yoon Suk-yeol's commitment to fostering a mutually beneficial, sustainable, and strategic long-term partnership with Africa.

“This marks a significant step in Korea’s comprehensive strategy to engage more deeply with the Global South, reflecting our commitment to global inclusiveness and cooperation. In terms of shared growth, Korea seeks to strengthen economic cooperation with Africa for development and growth,” Byung-won said.

“The 2024 Korea-Africa summit will provide the best opportunity for Korea to accompany Africa's proactive development path based on its own experiences and expertise. Throughout the summit, leaders will engage in discussions centred on developing win-win strategies by leveraging the respective comparative advantages of both Africa and the Republic of Korea, creating interactive opportunities that benefit both parties,” he added. 

South Korea’s deputy minister for political affairs, Chung Byung-won

Having experienced the oppression of colonisation and having overcome the ravages of war, Byung-won said, Korea possesses a profound understanding of the challenges and aspirations of African nations, more than any other country in the world.

“Korea overcame those obstacles and achieved remarkable growth not solely by itself but with the support of the international community. Therefore, Korea is committed to giving back to the international community, including Africa, by sharing its experiences in economic growth and development,” he said.

Last September, the Korean government pledged to double its Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa by 2030. In the same month, Korea also announced a $6b financial package to fund various projects in Africa.

Uganda-Korea relations

Commenting on the Uganda-Korea relations, Byung-won said: “Korea and Uganda have developed a friendly partnership in various areas, including infrastructure and agriculture, centred around development cooperation, since establishing diplomatic relations in 1963.”

Deputy minister Chung Byung-won has lauded the two countries' ties evident through major infrastructure projects.

“Notably, Korean companies such as the Korea Expressway Corporation have significantly contributed to infrastructure projects, including the Express Development Masterplan and the Uganda Expressway Integrated Manual Development Project. These initiatives, leveraging Korean technology to strengthen Uganda’s infrastructure, are win-win projects that benefit both nations,” he added.

South Korea is also implementing the Saemaul Movement Project in Uganda, which focuses on the development of rural areas into self-reliant economic power bases.

“President Museveni has shown great interest in technical education and the Korean government has been implementing projects for Uganda to foster ICT environments and to offer e-learning methods in the education field,” Byung-won said, adding that the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has played a pivotal role in the implementation of various development projects in Uganda.