[Meeting with Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Zuma]

1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dlamini Zuma on July 13, and discussed in depth a range of issues, including the rise of Africa and the AU’s role, the Republic of Korea’s Africa policy and the ROK-Africa cooperation, and the fourth ROK-Africa forum.

2. [Rise of Africa and the AU’s role] Minister Yun stated that he was impressed by Chairperson Zuma’s remark at the third International Conference on Financing for Development that she will make an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. Appreciating the agreements reached in June on the creation of a Tripartite Free Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa and a Continental Free Trade Area that covers all of Africa, Minister Yun said that if President Park Geun-hye, deeply interested in Africa’s development and growth, visits the AU and has an opportunity to discuss the AU’s vision, that will have a positive impact on such efforts.

o Chairperson Zuma said that she considers the ROK Africa’s partner and expressed hope that the two sides will continue to closely work together.

3. [ROK’s Africa policy and the ROK-Africa cooperation] Mentioning the Park Geun-hye government’s efforts to strengthen diplomacy toward Africa to create a mutually-beneficial partnership, Minister Yun explained institutional mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between the ROK and Africa, including the ROK-Africa forum, the ROK-Africa forum for economic cooperation, and the ROK-Africa industry cooperation forum. He expressed hope that the two sides will advance their relations by closely cooperating in various areas.

o Chairperson Zuma stated that she wants the ROK to share its experience of developing advanced education systems, well known in the international community. She hoped that the ROK will share with Africa its experience of achieving economic growth through investments in education.

o Noting that the importance of education was highlighted in keynote speeches at the International Conference on Financing for Development, Minister Yun said that the ROK is sharing its development experience with African countries and will transfer its knowledge, taking into account the needs of each country.

o Chairperson Zuma expressed interest in the ROK’s advanced shipbuilding industry . In response, mentioning that Africa’s efforts to create the Tripartite Free Trade Area will provide a very good momentum for industrialization, Minister Yun said that the ROK also pursued export-led industrialization policy in the initial phase of economic development. He also stated that this issue is an important agenda for the ROK-Africa forum and a successful outcome of the forum to be held in early December this year will be very useful for future cooperation between the ROK and Africa.

4. [Fourth ROK-Africa Forum] Minister Yun said that the ROK has not only worked to develop bilateral relations with each African country, but also held meetings with the AU, a regional body, on a regular basis through the ROK-Africa forum since 2006. He also stated that the ROK and the AU have continued to hold consultations since last year to hold the fourth ROK-Africa forum in Addis Ababa in December this year in follow-up to the previous forums held in 2006, 2009 and 2012. He added that President Park is reviewing whether to visit the AU based on a successful outcome of the ROK-Africa forum.

o Minister Yun hoped that Chairperson Zuma will visit the ROK at a convenient time and see for herself the ROK’s advanced education system and shipbuilding industry, as well as the reality of inter-Korean relations, adding that the ROK is experiencing a lot of changes.

o Chairperson Zuma expressed appreciation for Minister Yun’s invitation to visit the ROK and said that she will make efforts to visit the ROK in the near future. She also stated that she will continue to review the possibility of President Park’s visit to the AU, as well as holding the ROK-Africa forum within the year. Minister Yun said that President Park, as the first female president in Northeast Asia, will be able to develop good relations with Chairperson Zuma.

5. In this meeting with the head of the AU, which represents Africa, as well as a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the ROK Foreign Minister explained the ROK’s foreign policy toward Africa and contributions in the region, and extensively discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides. This was an important opportunity to expand the ROK’s diplomatic horizons to Africa.


[Courtesy Call on Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam]

1. Minister Yun paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn on July 11, and had an extensive exchange of views on various issues, including the progress in the ROK-Ethiopia relations and high-level exchanges, ways to increase substantive cooperation, cooperation on the global stage, and regional situations.

2. [Assessing the progress in the ROK-Ethiopia relations] Prime Minister Hailemariam welcomed Minister Yun’s first visit to Ethiopia. Minister Yun expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister for taking time despite his busy schedule preparing for the large-scale International Conference on Financing for Development attended by some 7,000 people. Minister Yun conveyed President Park’s best regards to him and invited him to visit the ROK at a mutually convenient time. Minister Yun also noted that the two countries are witnessing robust high-level exchanges recently and especially appreciated President Mulatu’s visit to the ROK in April.

o Prime Minister Hailemariam said that he is pleased to see that the ROK-Ethiopia relations have solidified since Ethiopia’s participation in the Korean War and the bilateral relations are currently at their best since diplomatic relations were forged in 1963.

o Minister Yun stated that Ethiopia, the only African country to send ground forces to the ROK to fight alongside it in the Korean War, is the ROK’s important partner and a range of cooperation projects are underway. He expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister’s efforts to improve the bilateral relations.

o Prime Minister Hailemariam reminded Minister Yun that he invited President Park to visit Ethiopia at the G20 Summit in 2013 and expressed hope that he will hold a meeting with President Park in Ethiopia in the near future and discuss ways for the two countries to work together.

- Explaining that the ROK and the AU are discussing ways to hold the ROK-Africa forum in December this year in Addis Ababa, Minister Yun said that President Park is reviewing whether to visit African countries, including Ethiopia, next year, following the forum. Minister Yun also expressed hope that the relations between the ROK and Ethiopia will further strengthen through a summit meeting.

3. [Sharing the ROK’s development experience] Prime Minister Hailemariam spoke highly of the ROK’s rapid economic growth in a short period of time, and stated that Ethiopia is conducting research on the ROK’s development model to apply it to Ethiopia and take the country one step further. He expressed gratitude for the ROK’s continued support in the field of development, including infrastructure and agriculture. Mentioning that Ethiopia is in serious need of the ROK’s support, the Prime Minister hoped that Ethiopia will further deepen and strengthen its relations with the ROK.

o Minister Yun said that he is well aware of the fact that Ethiopia wants to use the ROK’s cases as benchmarks, and especially robust exchanges are taking place in education, technology, the Saemaul Undong Project (new community movement), and ICT. He expressed hope that the two countries will expand their cooperation in sharing the ROK’s development experience.

- Minister Yun said that he was impressed by the pace of Ethiopia’s development, and the country’s Growth & Transformation Plan (GTP) reminded him of the ROK’s economic development plan. Minister Yun added that the ROK will provide maximum support for the success of the plan.

4. [Science and technology development] Prime Minister Hailemariam stated that Ethiopia is focusing on building scientific and technological capacities to take its economy to a higher level. He said that as part of such efforts, his country is seeking to upgrade the quality of its science and technology institutes and universities, and requested the ROK’s support for that.

o Minister Yun said that he is well aware that many Korean professors are contributing to technology transfer at universities in Ethiopia, including Adama Science and Technology University and Addis Ababa Institute of Technology. He added that the ROK will work to increase such exchanges.

5. [Investment Promotion] Stating that Ethiopia has conditions conducive to corporate investment, including political and economic stability, cheap labor, cheap electricity, and accessibility to neighboring markets, Prime Minister Hailemariam hoped to see more investment from Korean companies in the textile and clothing sector. Minister Yun said that he will convey the Ethiopian side’s expectation to relevant ROK ministries and companies and explore ways to increase investment.

6. [Regional situations] Prime Minister Hailemariam explained regional situations in the Horn of Africa, including South Sudan and Somalia, as well as the activities of Ethiopia and the AU to manage the situations. He also expressed concern over the crises in Yemen, Libya, Syria and Iraq spreading to other areas, including East Africa.

o Minister Yun expressed gratitude for the Prime Minister’s explanation, and said that the ROK government also dispatched PKO forces to South Sudan to support Africa’s efforts towards stability. The Minister added that the ROK is also contributing to peace and stability in Somalia, including through the ROK warship’s joint operations with the EU in waters off Somalia.

7. Despite requests for a meeting with the Ethiopian Prime Minister from many heads of state participating in the International Conference on Financing for Development, and the Prime Minister’s busy schedule, the Ethiopian side scheduled the bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Yun for the weekend. This is seen as indicating the Ethiopian side’s special consideration toward the ROK, as well as its expectations of the ROK.


*unofficial translation