Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun (right) on June 1 shakes hands with his Ghanaian counterpart Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, vice chair of the African Union this year, at the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting at Lotte Hotel Seoul in the city's Jung-gu District.

By Hong Angie
Photos = Yonhap News

The Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting opened on June 1 at Lotte Hotel in Seoul's Jung-gu District.

This is Seoul's first solo hosting of a meeting for 54 countries on the continent and four Africa-based international organizations. Attendees include the foreign ministers and representatives from 50 African countries and chiefs of the four organizations: the African Union, African Development Bank, African Continental Free Trade Area, and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

This gathering is part of the Lee administration's policy of diplomatic diversification and Korea's role as a "globally responsible power" which has been pursued since its inception.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul said the event will offer the opportunity to further solidify mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperative relations with African countries.

The meeting's two sessions will be co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun and his Ghanaian counterpart Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is vice chair of the African Union this year.

The first session chaired by Minister Cho will cover the theme "Strengthening Economic Cooperation: Promoting Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Growth" and the second "Joint Responses to Global Challenges: Korea-Africa Solidarity."

Participants will extensively discuss boosting practical cooperation for the joint prosperity of Korea and Africa and solidarity measures to tackle global issues such as supply chain crises.

Minister Cho will hold a series of bilateral talks with all foreign ministers visiting the country for the conference. He will coordinate pending issues such as Korean corporate advances in the African market, responses to supply chain problems and the protection of Koreans overseas while exploring how to improve bilateral relations.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun (seventh from left in front row) and Ghanian counterpart Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (sixth from left in front row) on June 1 pose for a group photo at the annual Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting at Lotte Hotel Seoul in the city's Jung-gu District.