This report examines strategies for strengthening Korea’s economic and development cooperation with Africa, focusing on key agendas from the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit. The analysis covers critical areas, including agriculture, environmental issues, urban transportation, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), healthcare, digital cooperation, and the sharing of Korea’s development experience. Additionally, the report provides recommendations for securing reliable critical minerals and leveraging international development financial institutions to support cooperation efforts.
Africa faces significant agricultural challenges, including low productivity, limited use of modern inputs, poor infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change. Customized smart farm solutions adapted to African contexts are necessary to support the establishment of agricultural processing facilities and cold chain systems. Korea can build partnerships to develop agricultural policies and regulatory frameworks, promote public-private partnerships in the agriculture sector, and support the development of agricultural research and extension services. This will improve irrigation and water management systems and promote the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties and farming practices.
The Korea-Africa Partnership can address critical environmental challenges in Africa, including the impacts of climate change, desertification, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. Various projects can be developed, such as reforestation, sustainable land management, and biodiversity conservation. Supporting early warning systems for climate-related disasters will benefit recipient countries. Training on environmental impact assessments and green growth strategies, promoting sustainable urban planning, and developing green infrastructure will also be beneficial. Korea can assist in implementing integrated water resource management approaches to promote circular economy initiatives and waste management solutions.
Rapid urbanization in Africa is creating significant challenges related to traffic congestion, road safety, and air pollution. Korea can develop pilot projects for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in major African cities to support the development of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, provide technical assistance for transportation master planning, and promote electric mobility solutions adapted to African contexts. Additionally, Korea can help develop non-motorized transport infrastructure (e.g., bicycle lanes, pedestrian walkways) and support capacity building for urban transport authorities to promote transit-oriented development approaches.
TVET is a top priority area for Africa’s skills development. TVET projects focused on key industries (e.g., manufacturing, ICT, agriculture) should support the development of national qualification frameworks and promote industry-academia partnerships for TVET. Korea’s ODA projects can include quality assurance systems for TVET to support the modernization of TVET infrastructure and equipment and promote entrepreneurship education within TVET programs, including e-learning and blended learning approaches.
Africa’s healthcare challenges include a high burden of infectious diseases, rising non-communicable diseases, and weak health systems. Projects should aim to strengthen primary healthcare systems, support the development of telemedicine and e-health solutions, and establish centers of excellence for specific diseases. Promoting pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing capabilities through capacity building for health policy and management, along with community health worker programs and health education initiatives, is essential.
Digital transformation is urgently needed in African countries. Korea has developed a well-designed e-government system that is envied by many. African countries need to improve customs, procurement, statistics, and more. Partnership projects can develop innovation hubs and tech parks to provide technical assistance for ICT policymaking and regulation, promote digital financial inclusion initiatives, and support the development of digital content in local languages. Digital literacy programs targeting underserved populations will be necessary to promote the adoption of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, blockchain) in key sectors.
Korea’s development experience can serve as a benchmarking model for African countries. Korea’s Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) includes economic planning, industrial policy, export promotion strategies, human resource development, public sector reform, governance improvements, science, technology, and innovation policies, among others. Korea-Africa partnership projects that adapt Korean development models will provide policy advisory services tailored to specific African countries. This will support the development of think tanks and policy research institutes and organize study visits and exchange programs for African policymakers and experts to explore the adaptation of Korean development approaches.
There is a growing concern regarding the security of critical minerals for the clean energy transition, highlighting Africa’s significant mineral resources. Korea can strengthen partnerships with African countries rich in critical minerals to support sustainable and responsible mining practices and assist in developing mineral processing and value-addition capabilities. This can include technology transfer in the mining and mineral sectors, developing transparent and effective mineral governance frameworks, investing in geological surveys and resource mapping, and promoting local content development in the mining supply chain.
Development finance institutions (DFIs) will be crucial for the Korea- Africa partnership to support economic cooperation. Improving co-financing arrangements with multilateral and bilateral DFIs can strengthen cooperation with the African Development Bank. This will utilize innovative financing mechanisms like blended finance and enhance Korea’s capacity to structure and implement complex development projects. Strategic partnerships with European DFIs with extensive African experience can strengthen Korea’s development finance institutions to better support African projects. Additionally, it can promote private sector participation through public-private partnerships and risk mitigation instruments.
The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit provides a strong foundation for deepening this cooperation. Moving forward, it will be crucial to translate the summit’s commitments into concrete actions and sustainable long-term partnerships. This will require continued high-level engagement, regular policy dialogues, and the establishment of effective implementation mechanisms.

Executive Summary

Chapter 1. Introduction
1. Background
2. Objectives of the Study
3. Research Methodology
4. Chapter Composition
5. Research Limitation

Chapter 2. Overview of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit
1. History of Korea-Africa High-Level Forums
2. Government-Level Strategies for Economic Cooperation with Africa
3. Comparative Analysis of Previous Korea-Africa High-Level Forums and the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit
4. Analysis of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit Joint Declaration

Chapter 3. Korea’s ODA Strategies for Africa: Focus on the Key Agendas of 2024 Korea-Africa Summit
1. Rethinking the Underlying Causes of Africa’s Underdevelopment
2. Agricultural Development
3. Environmental Sector: Climate Change, Desertification and Deforestation
4. Urban Transportation: Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
5. Supporting Industrialization through TVET Program
6. Healthcare
7. Digital Cooperation
8. Sharing Korea’s Development Experience with Africa

Chapter 4. Developing Government Support Strategy through SWOT Analysis for African Market Entry
1. SWOT Analysis for African Market Entry
2. Recommended Government Support Strategies Based on SWOT Analysis

Chapter 5. Securing Reliable Critical Minerals
1. Energy Transformation and Strategic Minerals
2. Supply Chain of Strategic Minerals
3. Strategic Minerals and Africa
4. Supporting Private Sector Mineral Development

Chapter 6. Leveraging International Development Financial Institutions
1. Constraints in Financial Support to Africa
2. Utilizing Development Financial Institutions (DFIs)
3. Examples of DFI Financial Support
4. Co-financing with Development Financial Institutions

Chapter 7. Conclusion

References

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