Seoul: South Korea and Africa can draw on their complementary strengths for mutual benefit in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, the head of an Africa-based multilateral development bank said Wednesday, expressing hope for closer cooperation. Sidi Ould Tah, president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), made the remarks in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency during a press conference in Seoul on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) meeting.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the AfDB president emphasized that Africa has important lessons to learn from South Korea's transformation over the past 60 years from an underdeveloped aid recipient into a donor country. Tah expressed a desire to leverage the complementarity between Korea and Africa. He noted that Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world, and by 2050, one in four people will be African. Africa also holds one-third of the world's minerals, including those critical for the energy transition and AI development.

Tah highlighted that South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, has valuable experience in harnessing AI technologies and developing custom solutions to address development challenges. He stated that Africa hopes to expand its existing partnerships with South Korea and prioritize AI on their shared agenda through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and joint investment.

He further mentioned that building the necessary AI infrastructure, creating an enabling environment, and introducing required reforms to ensure AI safety and benefits for the African population are crucial steps. Tah concluded by stating that the complementarity between Africa and Korea sets the stage for a transformative partnership that will be beneficial for both parties in the coming decades.

KOAFEC, a consultative body established by South Korea and African countries in 2006, marks its 20th anniversary this year.