South Korean president to attend the 22nd AU Summit in Addis Ababa
Summit kicks off today by the PRC
Mahlet Fasil
The African Union (AU) said Park Cheng-hye, President of South Korea, will attend the 22nd Summit of the AU which kicked off this morning. “Transforming Africa’s agriculture harnessing opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development” is the theme the AU said will be at the center of discussions during the assembly of head of states and governments of AU member states. The summit kicked off this morning with the 27th ordinary session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), a club of ambassadors of AU member states, which discussed items on the agenda in preparation of the summit to be submitted to the executive council for adoption.
Accordingly, the PRC will discuss for the coming three days specific reports including the reports of the advisory sub-committee on administrative, budgetary and financial matters, sub-committee on program and conferences, sub –committee on contribution, including the annual report of the AU Commission and that of human and peoples’ rights.
President Cheng-hye’s visit follows recent visits to Addis Ababa by Wang Yi, Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, followed shortly by Shinzo Abe, Japan’s Prime Minister, who visited three African countries.
According to Thomas White International, an asset management firm, “South Korea’s foreign direct investment in Africa jumped to $287 million in 2010, compared to a meager $24.3 million a decade back.” Bilateral trade between Africa and South Korea also reached $25 billion in 2011, a significant jump from just $6 billion in 2000.
In addition to President Cheng-hye, Haitian President Michel Martelly will also attend the summit, the AU said.
Caption: South Korean President Park Cheng-hye
Photo: AP /Kim Hong-Ji
