Despite the global slowdown, South Korea used its Africa summit to strike more deals and expand its diplomatic reach
International financial realities did not deter the 21 African
delegations to the second Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Conference
(KOAFEC), held in Seoul on 27-30 October. At the
inaugural meeting two years ago, just 15 countries had attended but
this year many new countries were present
Among those represented this year were Benin,
Congo-Kinshasa, Gabon,
Gambia, Kenya,
Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritius, Seychelles,
South
Africa, Sudan and Uganda.
In its bilateral relations and with those
of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Seoul has yet to venture
outside the
areas of its strengths (infrastructure and telecommunications) or its
weaknesses (natural resources).
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