African Development Bank officials hold policy seminar at Seoul National University… Jointly hosted by Korea-Africa Foundation
Eric Ogunleye, Director of the African Development Institute, giving a congratulatory speech at a policy seminar at Seoul National University on the 29th
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(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Seong-jin = “We look forward to Korea’s role as a good partner in establishing a fund to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of African countries to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development.”
Eric Ogunleye, director of the African Development Institute (ADI), said this at the African Development Bank (AfDB) policy development seminar held at the Samick Hall of the Asia Center at Seoul National University on the 29th (local time). ADI was established in 1973 as an affiliate of the AfDB to strengthen the human, organizational, and institutional capabilities of the African continent.
This seminar, co-hosted by the Korea-Africa Foundation with the AfDB, ADI, and the Asia-Africa Research Center at Seoul National University, was held under the theme of ‘Strengthening Africa’s resilience: Development through continuous technological development and capacity building.’ It was prepared as a venue for follow-up discussions to strengthen the strategic partnership between Korea and Africa following the ‘Korea-Africa Summit’ held for the first time by the government last June.
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About 80 people, including university students from Africa, academics, and officials from related organizations, attended and had a heated discussion for nearly three hours. African diplomats in Korea, including Ambassador Togolani Edris Mabura of Tanzania, Ambassador Amira Agarip of Sudan, Ambassador Nubiko Manji Bakuramucha of Rwanda, and Ambassador of Kenya Emi Kipsoi, also participated.
Presenters at the African Development Bank (AfDB) policy development seminar held at Seoul National University on the 29th
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Director Ogunleye emphasized that ADI is laying the foundation for Africa’s sustainable development by playing a pivotal role in strengthening essential technologies and capabilities in each African country.
Recently, the Bank released a 79-page 10-year (2024-2033) strategy report for green growth and resilient economies on the African continent. The AfDB is a subsidiary of the African Union (AU) with 55 member countries and is located in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The report predicted that the population of young people aged 15 to 35 on the African continent will reach 477 million by 2030, evaluating them as a potential workforce that will transform Africa and the world.
Kim Young-chae, Chairman of the Korea-Africa Foundation, said in his opening remarks, “Africa’s young and dynamic population is an important asset that will lead a sustainable future,” and added, “I hope this will be a good opportunity for Korea and Africa to build a true partnership beyond physical distance.” .
Africa has escaped the COVID-19 pandemic, but is facing food insecurity, rising debt, climate change shocks, conflict and political instability.
Accordingly, the AfDB targets Africa with so-called so-called ▲lighting (electricity supply) ▲feeding well (food supply) ▲industrialization (creating manufacturing jobs) ▲regional integration (promoting value chains) ▲improving quality of life (focusing on women and young people). We are pursuing a ‘High 5’ focus project.
Participants at the African Development Bank (AfDB) policy development seminar held at Seoul National University on the 29th.
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Kim Tae-gyun, director of Seoul National University’s Asia-Africa Center, attached meaning to networking such as this policy seminar, saying, “Not only human assets but also social assets are important,” in relation to strengthening Africa’s capabilities.
Go Gil-gon, vice dean of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Administration, said that there are currently 55 students in the Global Public Administration (GMPA) program, which educates domestic and foreign public officials, of which 17% are from Africa, and that they are working hard to share cutting-edge knowledge, such as digital and AI literacy courses.
Se-mi Yoon, assistant professor (Sustainable Development Studies) at the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University, said in a discussion, “In Africa, where urbanization is progressing the fastest in the world, the gap between the largest city and the second city is enormous compared to other regions,” and said that new and renewable energy in vast rural areas of Africa is important. It was suggested that human-centered design that takes more into account the convenience of local users is needed in energy conversion, etc.
Meanwhile, Seoul National University’s Asia-Africa Center was established in March 2022 to perform a comprehensive specialized African research function that provides equal understanding of Korean and African perspectives. It is known that, in addition to the existing Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, African research institutes were established at Yonsei University and Korea University earlier this year following the recent Korea-Africa Summit.
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2024/10/30 11:22 Sent
