Mudavadi arrives in Seoul for South Korea, African Foreign Ministers Summit

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Musalia Mudavadi has arrived in Seoul, South Korea, to attend the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting scheduled for May 31 to June 2, 2026.

Head of the Kenyan Mission in Seoul Prof Emmy Kipsoi received Mudavadi, who is leading the Kenyan delegation at the summit.

The summit brings together representatives from 54 African countries and four regional organisations as Seoul seeks to deepen economic ties, diversify supply chains and strengthen cooperation on global challenges.

He said Kenya will be presenting its agenda items at both the plenary and at the margins of the meeting based on the Kenya-Korea diplomatic relations established six decades ago. 

“We have established very strong economic and technical cooperation, as well as vibrant people to people exchanges. During this meeting Kenya would particularly wish to emphasise our cooperation in ICT and Education, as exemplified by ongoing developments at Konza Technopolis among other areas enlisted for engagement.” noted the Prime CS.

“We will also be exploring other critical areas including health, infrastructural development, agriculture and food security, water, energy, the maritime sector, climate resilience and adaptability among others.”

Mudavadi added that Korea is an ideological partner to Kenya and the two nations share mutual trust and values and Kenya has much to learn from Korea’s growth trajectory and Korea has been gracious and helpful by way of knowledge sharing and technology transfer.

He said Korea extends significant Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Kenya and there is also growing Korean investment in the fields of manufacturing, industry and infrastructural sectors, which will further be boosted by the recent establishment of Korea Exim Bank Offices in Nairobi.

Under the theme of "Partnership for Joint Responses to Global Challenges," the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' meeting, marks the first ministerial meeting of its kind independently hosted by the South Korean government.

It follows the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit held in June 2024.

The heads of four African international organizations namely the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Africa Centres will also attend the meeting for Disease Control and Prevention (AU CDC).

South Korea is calling Africa a crucial partner, particularly amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain crises, and the two sides will be seeking ways to achieve mutual prosperity and a sustainable future during the meeting.

According to the organisers of the summit, key thematic areas will focus on economic cooperation through adopting resolutions that will help boost and secure stable supply chains for critical minerals and energy resources in light of rising global geopolitical risks; sustainable growth in expanding trade ties, green transition projects, and digital innovation partnerships and discussions on global diplomacy that will ride on foundations set during the 2024 Summit to foster mutual prosperity and strengthen long-term structured partnerships.