Fostering Socio-Economic Coopertion

By Zelalem Girma

According to historical documents, the diplomatic relation between Ethiopia and Korea dates back since Ethiopia sent its 6,037 troops (the Kagnew Battalion) to the Korean War in 1951-1953 with an intention to respond to the call of UN Security Council to preserve peace and security in Korean Peninsula.

As their relations began in blood ties, Ethiopia and Korea are currently enhancing their friendship by the historic visits of the leaders of the two countries. For instance, the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi payed a visit to Korea in 1998, 2010, 2011 to take Korean economic and social development experience.

Similarly, the late Korean President Lee Myung-bak payed a visit to Ethiopia in 2011, while the current Korean President Park Geun-hye has come to Ethiopia in the most recently to further expand the space of bilateral cooperation in various sectors. Lots of exchanges of visits between the two countries have also being made through high level delegations and business communities.

Connecting with President Park's visit to Ethiopia, several agreements and memorandums of understandings have been singed between the two nations in order to facilitate close cooperation in economic, social and cultural sectors at the National Palace with the presence of the Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

Of these, the cooperation on information and communication, avoid of double taxation, soft loan framework, air and road transportation, textile industry, defense, forestry and climate change, agriculture and rural developments, and Health care and medical science are among others signed by the respective Ministers from both countries.

Lauding the cooperation made in science and technology, President Dr. Mulatu Teshome has reaffirmed that the historical and blood ties would further be strengthened. Dr. Mulatu called on the Korean Government to extend more energy for the evolving textile industry in Ethiopia.

Though both Ethiopia and South Korea are tracked by export driven development policy and strategy, the Korean economic miracle of industrialization can be taken as an important model for its economic development and social transformation. As this historic relationship has been restored through economic partnership, both nations need to step up their cooperation further in untapped areas. Much remains to be done by both countries to take over this colorful history to the younger generation.

South Korea has managed to transform itself from a poor agrarian country into a leading industrial country in half a century. Korea is now taken as an exemplary country for its rapid economic development, gender equality and dynamic democracy.

In fact, Korea has been assisting Ethiopia's development endeavour in various aspects. These days, 20 South Korean companies are investing in Ethiopia in industry and infrastructure development, and participating in the construction sector. The South Korean government has also launched a job-training opportunity for 300 descendants of Korean War veterans in Ethiopia.

On the other hand, Ethiopia has been cooperating with the Korean companies in the economic sector, and requesting them to exploit the diverse mineral, oil, gas resources, and the raw material for industrial production. High value agricultural products such as flowers, textiles, coffee, sesame and leather products are also profitable if provided for the Korean market in greater amounts. Hence, to fully utilize their capital and technology, Korean companies need to exploit the abundant and competitive labor of Ethiopia.

Apart from investment and trade, the South Korean government has opened various offices such as KOPIA, KOICA, and other offices and institutions in Ethiopia to further accelerate cooperation in agriculture, technology transfer, capacity building training, and food and medicine provision.

Regarding the social cooperation, the two nations raise their cultural exchanges to deepen their earlier long term friendships, and strengthen their cooperation in a mutually benefiting way. For this, President Park could get the opportunity to attend the cultural exchanges organized at Nelson Mandela Hall, Addis Ababa University. In the show, the Korean Culture Team and the Ethiopian National Theatre exhibited their own cultures for the gathering.

After attending the cultural exchanges such as the Korean traditional musics, dances, martial arts and the traditional Ethiopian music, President Park lauded that the two countries would extend their blood ties through developing two-pronged cultural exchanges, and promoting mutual understanding between peoples.

She also lauded that both governments must work on enhancing the countries' overall bilateral relations in order to leave these mutual long standing heritages for the future generations.

Likewise, President Dr. Mulatu Teshome extolled the cultural shows executed by youths from both countries. According to him, these cultural exchanges would be an earth-shattering to renew and strengthen the bilateral and historical relations of the two nations.

President Park also expressed her gratification to Ethiopian friendliness and hospitality during her Ethiopia's official visit. She desired to strengthen the friendship established in blood earlier through the bilateral cooperative relationships.

Definitely, the incumbent governments of the two countries need to strengthen their longstanding relations through recalling the great contributions of veterans to help Korea survive as a nation, and become a reason to create blood ties that led to economic and social cooperation. However, nearly 300 of these veterans are alive today relying on their children, grand-children and some fragmented charity organizations, the incumbent Korean government must look after enough to support these veterans who are still leading an unsympathetic life even after 65 years of Korean independence.

The Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Association in Addis Ababa must work hard and coordinate sound effort to maintain the interests of the resident veterans. Then, the diplomatic relations between the two countries would last achieving the need to boost the economic and social development gears for the benefit of the two nations.

In sum, Korea and Ethiopia are committed to partaking its accumulative experiences, knowledge and mind-set to build a cooperative partnership for mutual growth and prosperity. Korea seeks to do together with Ethiopia in its journey towards realizing the growth and transformation plan.

Although Ethiopia's paramount potential lies in its youth and women, the creative and fervent fresh minds of its people will open a new future for Ethiopia.

If the country can normally acquire skilled manpower, dedicated economic planners, risk-taking entrepreneurs, diligent society, timely investment in technology, it would lift itself out of poverty, achieve the most remarkable growth, and stand beside Korea and other middle income countries in time. Read more here ...