Korean Government to send a Delegation to Three Latin American Countries to Strengthen Cooperation on Agriculture

- Expansion of Cooperation on Digital and Eco-friendly Agricultural Technology with Latin American and Caribbean countries

- Holding of the Korea-Northern Central America Forum on Agricultural Cooperation and Support for the Stabilization of the Three Northern Central American Countries

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Rural Development Administration (RDA) will jointly dispatch a delegation for agricultural cooperation to Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala from July 5 to 12 (Head of Delegation: Dr. Kwon Taek-Ryoun, Director-General for Technology Cooperation Bureau, RDA).

° This delegation is to be sent to discuss specific ways of cooperation in the area of agriculture with the three countries, in response to Latin American and Caribbean countries’ requests for cooperation on digital and eco-friendly agricultural technology as well as support for rural development, which were addressed in many occasions after the COVID-19 outbreak, including Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun’s visits to Latin America and Caribbean on April 18-26.

° In particular, the delegation plans to discuss concrete ways to implement Korean government’s contributions in Central America’s Northern Triangle countries and digital and green cooperation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the fields of agriculture, following up on what was discussed at the ROK-U.S. Summit held on May 21 and the 4^th Korea-SICA Summit on June 25 this year.

2. The delegation will pay a courtesy visit to the Agricultural Minister of each country, as well as have high-level meetings on agricultural cooperation, through which it will explore ways for cooperation and co-prosperity in the fields of agricultural technology, rural development and farm household income increase, strengthening capability in processing and treatment of agricultural and livestock products as well as cooperation on agricultural research and development, education and academic fields in the era of post-COVID-19.

° The delegation will also discuss ways to expand cooperation projects that actively utilize Korea-Latin America agricultural cooperation platforms such as Korea-Latin America Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative(KoLFACI) and the Center of Korea Program for International cooperation in Agricultural technology(KOPIA).

° Moreover, the delegation will seek ways to support the improvement of  ‘agricultural value chain’ in those countries, such as drying, storage, processing, and distribution of agricultural and livestock products and Sanitary and Phytosanitary(SPS) measures.

3. In particular, on the occasion of the delegation’s visit to Guatemala, the Korea-Northern Central America Forum on Agricultural Cooperation will be held on July 9, bringing together high-level officials including Ministers and Vice Ministers of Agriculture from Northern Central American countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

° At the forum, the Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs of MOFA Lee Seong ho, scheduled to visit Guatemala from July 8 to 12, will deliver a welcome speech to present a cooperation vision for strengthening green and digital partnerships in the era of post-COVID-19 and to express the Korean government’s willingness to cooperate for social stabilization of the three countries in Northern Central America.

° Through presentations and discussions at the forum, participants will seek ways to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector to the three Northern Central American countries that are facing climate change and food security crisis such as soil degradation and loss of biodiversity.

°Moreover, Korea Forest Service will also join the forum and explain projects of afforestation in response to the deforestation caused by forest fires and natural disasters and the reduction of agricultural land due to climate change in Northern Central America.

4. The visit of the delegation is expected to contribute to strengthening the agricultural cooperation as a part of implementing Korea’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean, which has been expressed in a series of summits including the Korea-U.S. Summit, the Korea-Spain Summit and the 4^th Korea-SICA Summit.

° Furthermore, mutually beneficial cooperation will be enhanced by creating linkages between Korea’s strengths in eco-friendly and digital agricultural technology and Latin America and the Caribbean’s rich biodiversity. The visit will also serve as an opportunity for Korea to further strengthen its leading role in the inclusive green recovery of the international community, as a host country of the second P4G Seoul Summit held in last May, 2021.