Seoul: South Korea and Africa have significant potential to expand mutually beneficial cooperation, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has said, calling Africa an "important partner" for Seoul in diversifying its energy supply chains. Cho made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul on Thursday, ahead of the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting, set to be held from Sunday through Tuesday, designed to discuss joint responses to complex global challenges.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho highlighted the vulnerabilities exposed by the Middle East crisis and disruptions to energy supplies following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. These events have underscored the need for South Korea to diversify its energy supply chains, which currently rely heavily on the Middle East. Cho emphasized Africa's potential as a crucial partner in this diversification effort, with plans to expand the foundation for stable supplies of crude oil and petroleum products from Africa through high-level exchanges and corporate cooperation. Major oil-producing countries such as Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, and Libya could offer alternative supply routes, particularly via the Cape of Good Hope, which are less risky compared to routes associated with the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea amid the U.S-Iran war.
Africa's wealth extends beyond oil, as the continent holds around 30 percent of the world's mineral resources and serves as a major source of cobalt, manganese, chromium, and platinum-group metals. Cho noted that cooperation between South Korea and Africa could extend beyond securing resources. With South Korea's expertise in battery and electric vehicle manufacturing and Africa's abundant natural resources, there is potential for mutually beneficial cooperation by combining these respective strengths.
The Korean government seeks to broaden tailored cooperation with individual African countries in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure projects, digital technology, and critical mineral exploration. How to build a mutually beneficial partnership will be a key focus of the upcoming ministerial meeting under the theme of "Partnership for Joint Responses to Global Challenges." The meeting is expected to bring together foreign ministers and representatives from 54 African countries and four regional organizations, including the African Union and the African Development Bank.
South Korea is also committed to ensuring the meeting and the envisioned joint statement result in substantive cooperation rather than remaining merely declaratory. For development assistance, South Korea plans to provide about US$800 million in official development assistance (ODA) to Africa this year, focusing on technology capabilities, health care resilience, and climate adaptation.
Cho, who has personal experience serving at South Korean embassies in the Central African Republic and Senegal, noted the growing interest in Africa among young diplomats in South Korea, stating, "Mon ami, Africa."