Korea-Africa Business Forum Urges Greater Korean Private Sector Engagement in Africa

12 April 2017
Content from a Premium Partner
African Development Bank (Abidjan)

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Busan Metropolitan City have jointly urged South Korea's private sector to do more business with Africa.

The call was made at the Korea-Africa Business Forum held at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center on 3 and 4 April 2017, supported by Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

The AfDB mission led by the Vice President for Finance, Charles Boamah and the Executive Director for Canada, China, Korea, Kuwait and Turkey, Hau Sing TSE, provided information on investment, procurement and recruitments at the Bank during two-day forum.

Boamah encouraged Koreans to join the Bank and to support Africa with Korea's experience and technology. "We welcome South Korea's private sector to work with us to bring the capital, technology and entrepreneurial skills to Africa's youth, to spur the next generation of entrepreneurs," he said.

For his part, Executive Director Tse who is also Dean of the Board, also emphasized the need for the Korean private sector to participate in African businesses.

Tadashi Yokoyama, Head of AfDB Asia External Representation Office, explained the Bank's High 5 development priorities and gave a picture of Africa's general business environment. Other staff provided information on the Bank's procurement, sovereign operations and recruitment processes. These were followed by interactions with Korean private sector.

The panel discussion was moderated by Ambassador Kim Il-soo, Executive Director of Korea-Africa Center, with the ambassadors of Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia to Korea in attendance

The Bank's team held a special meeting with African beneficiaries of the KOAFEC Next African Leader Program scholarships, currently studying for Masters Degrees in ICT run by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), (established in 2010 by the AfDB-KOAFEC Trust Fund).

Cultural events were held on the last day with the participation of African People's Association in Busan. These included a fashion show of African attires, cultural dances and music. The Busan Foundation for International Cooperation (BFIC) organized a photo exhibition.

The forum, hosted by Kim Young-whan, Vice Mayor of Busan City, and Song In-chang, Deputy Minister of Strategy and Finance attracted more than 600 participants. The event Foreshadowed the Bank's 53rd Annual General Meetings to be held in Busan from 21-25, May 2018.

For more information on the AfDB Annual Meetings, please visit: www.afdb.org/am

Official hashtag of the 2018 AfDB Annual Meetings: #AfDBAM2018

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

Tagged:
Copyright © 2017 African Development Bank. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.