Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, has urged African countries to stop being dependent on aid and adopt trade, investments, industrialization, and value addition as the continent tries to seek further economic engagement with South Korea, according to a statement released by the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary on 2nd June 2026.

Speaking during the Korea-Africa Ministerial Meeting held in Seoul, Mudavadi noted that the African countries need to take advantage of strategic partnerships to spur economic development through job creation and strengthen their place in the global supply chain despite the increasing global uncertainties.

“Our meeting takes place amid growing geopolitical turbulence that has disrupted economic cooperation and development,” Mudavadi said.

According to the Cabinet Secretary, countries in the Global South should consider diversifying their partnerships and re-strategizing to prepare for what he termed an altered world order.

“Africa’s partnership with South Korea should focus on trade and investment; this will facilitate more collaboration with the private sector, which will fast-track industrialization and job creation in Africa,” said Mudavadi.

“Certainly, African states must adopt a forward-looking and people-centered approach driven by diversified partnerships such as the Korea-Africa relations, trade and investment rather than aid dependency, and a focus on manufacturing and value addition to their vast natural resources, including critical minerals,” he said.

AfCFTA and Investment Opportunities

The Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary noted that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was a good platform to increase inter-African trade and enhance the bargaining position of the continent in international markets.

He thanked the South Korean government for its support in achieving this goal and asked for cooperation in areas such as mineral processing and agricultural value chains, to enable African nations to climb higher on the industrialization ladder.

Mudavadi further invited South Korea to increase its institutional footprint in Africa, arguing that increased presence would not only boost the confidence of investors but also offer them easy access to the business opportunities offered by the continent.

“Being on the ground makes a significant difference, as it enables institutions to engage directly with our people and respective private sectors,” he said.

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South Korea Aims at Strengthening Economic Partnership

Cho Hyun, South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister, said the discussion in the talks would revolve around two crucial pillars.

“We will be focusing our discussions today on two pillars, first, enhancing economic cooperation, namely promotion of prosperity and sustainable growth; and second, joint responses to global challenges through Korea-Africa solidarity,” Cho said.

He added that they would engage in trade, investments, science and technology, food security, and growth sectors, as well as work together to mitigate the effects of climate change, health-related issues, and to advance peace and sustainable development.

“We are hoping that through this meeting, we will be able to further define our path in the future in the face of these fast-changing and challenging global times,” he said.

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Kenya Highlights Existing Cooperation

According to Mudavadi, Kenya has benefited from South Korea’s investment in technology, education, infrastructure, and innovation.

These include Konza Technopolis, Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST), the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System (NITS), and the K-Rice Belt project, which focuses on food security.

“South Korea is a partner of choice for Kenya when it comes to technology and digital economy,” he said.
Mudavadi also emphasized that their cooperation should focus on empowering the youth through job creation, innovation, and technology transfer.