By Kim Ji-eun

Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, who is in France for the Paris Peace Forum, met with the President of Ghana, the President of the Senate of Kenya, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda on Nov. 10 -11.

During his meetings with the African leaders, he requested their support for the 2030 Busan World Expo and exchanged views on ways to promote bilateral practical cooperation. Park also invited African leaders to the Korea-Africa Summit.

Park first met with Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Forum on the morning of November 10, and expressed his pleasure at their reunion two months after the luncheon between the leaders of Korea and Ghana on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September. 

President Akufo-Addo expressed his pleasure at being able to discuss bilateral cooperation issues in depth with President Yoon Suk-yeol, and asked him to convey his special thanks to President Yoon for hosting the luncheon.

Minister Park and President Acuffoado expressed their appreciation that Korea and Ghana share universal values and have been actively cooperating in various fields such as ▴economy and trade, ▴development cooperation, and ▴infrastructure construction, as well as on the international stage, and called for further expansion and strengthening of cooperation in each field and solidarity on the international stage. 

President Akufo-Addo appreciated Korea's sincerity in strengthening cooperation with African countries such as Ghana and responded that he would attend the Korea-Africa Summit next year.

Next, Minister Park met with Kenyan Senate President Amason Kingi on the morning of November 11, and expressed his hope that practical cooperation with Kenya, a key country in East Africa, will deepen as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

In particular, Minister Park expressed his hope that the Korean government will expand development cooperation in areas such as vocational and technical education, climate change response, and health, which are the main areas of cooperation desired by the Kenyan side, and that infrastructure projects that can improve the living conditions of Kenyans and contribute to Kenya's economic development will be promoted smoothly through the $1 billion EDCF Framework Agreement signed on the occasion of the Korea-Kenya Summit last year. In response, Senate President Kingi expressed his appreciation for the Korean government's efforts and support.

On the afternoon of November 11, Minister Park met with Ugandan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Oryem Henry Okello, and assessed the active high-level exchanges between the two countries, including the visit of Minister Okello to Korea on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year, as well as the visit of Ugandan Vice President Alupo to Korea in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Park said that the Korean government looks forward to further deepening infrastructure cooperation along with regional development and education, including the Saemaul movement project in line with Uganda's Vision 2040, which is a key ODA partner. She also called for further economic cooperation by utilizing the complementary economic structures of Korea, which has excellent manufacturing and ICT capabilities, and Uganda, which has an abundant youth labor force and natural resources. 

Minister Okello said he was impressed by Busan's economic development during his visit to Korea in September and highly praised the city's competitiveness. He also welcomed Minister Park's proposal to strengthen economic cooperation, saying that Korea's economic development experience is a model for Uganda.

Minister Park's visit is considered an opportunity to further enhance practical cooperation with key African countries and strengthen the mutual cooperation system for the successful hosting of next year's Korea-Africa Summit.