The 2026 Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting is underway at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
The following is the full text of a joint statement adopted at the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Seoul on Monday, where the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation for shared prosperity and joint responses to global challenges.
Joint Statement 2026 Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting
1. We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation of African countries; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea; representatives of the African Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) met in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as 'Korea'), on 1 June 2026, for the Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
2. Recalling with satisfaction the 2024 Korea–Africa Summit, and with a view to building upon its outcomes, we convened this Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting. We recognize the commonalities and complementarity between Korea's key task of "Diversifying diplomatic engagement and proactively addressing global challenges" and the African Union's "Agenda 2063," and its "Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan", reflecting Africa's vision of "An integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa". Recognizing the shared elements between us, we agreed to further strengthen the mutually beneficial and practical partnership.
3. We discussed geopolitical instability, the current situations in Ukraine and the Middle East and the impact on the global economy, as well as Africa and Korea, in particular food security and economic stability in Africa. In light of these developments, we recognized the growing strategic importance of Africa especially with regard to maritime routes and resources, including critical minerals. We further viewed this as a valuable opportunity to deepen and strengthen relations between the two sides.
Strengthening Economic Cooperation (Promoting Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Growth)
Trade, Infrastructure and Investment
4. Recognizing the potential in the cooperation between Korea and Africa for the achievement of shared prosperity and sustainable growth, we note the need to strengthen the mutually beneficial economic cooperation. We emphasize the importance of reinforcing institutional frameworks and improving mutual market access through key agreements, as appropriate, including Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs), Air Services Agreements (ASAs), Social Security Agreements (SSAs), and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), while giving due consideration to developing countries.
5. We commend Africa's efforts to establish a single market and advance regional economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In this regard, Korea remains committed to supporting Africa's consolidation efforts through the Korea–AfCFTA Cooperation Fund, capacity-building for customs authorities, support for the establishment of a One-stop Origin Management System (OOMS), and the sharing of expertise gained from its extensive experience of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
Source: Korea Times News
