Chilima during his meeting with Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol
* The central strategy to this vision is our acknowledgment of Malawi’s abundant natural resources
* Rich cultural heritage and the vibrant energy of our youthful population comprising 80% of the population
By Andrew Mkonda, MANA in Seoul,South Korea
Vice-President Saulos Chilima says Malawi aspires to undergo a profound transformation aimed at emerging as an inclusive, prosperous and self-reliant industrialized upper-middle-income nation by the year 2063.
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Chilima made the sentiments yesterday in Seoul during the Korea-Africa Business Summit which was aimed at sharing ideas and inviting Korean business gurus to invest in Malawi.
“The central strategy to this vision is our acknowledgment of Malawi’s abundant natural resources, rich cultural heritage and the vibrant energy of our youthful population comprising 80% of the population,” he said.
He took cognizance that the remarkable journey of the Republic of Korea, transcending from a developing country in the 1960s to a post-industrial global leader with high-tech industries today, serves as a beacon of inspiration to many African countries.
He further said Malawi recognizes that strategic policies emphasizing on exports, investment in human capital and fostering innovation and technology have been instrumental in Korea’s phenomenal national development.
“The Government of Malawi extends heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Korea for its commitment to sharing these invaluable experiences with African nations including Malawi.
“Such collaboration holds the promise of forging a future marked by shared prosperity, sustainability and solidarity where nations can collectively chart a path towards progress and mutual success,” he said.
In his opening speech at the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit, the host country’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said his government aims to expand trade and investment with Africa through a series of agreements such as economic partnership agreements (EPAs) and trade & investment promotion frameworks (TIPFs).
He also vowed to support Africa’s efforts toward regional economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2019.
“In terms of trade, we will speed up the signing of EPAs and TIPFs,” Yoon said. “On the investment front, we will expand investment protection agreements to promote exchanges between the two countries’ companies.”
Some of the prominent people who were in attendance during the Korea-Africa business summit included Korea’s Prime Minister, Han Duck-Soo and President of the Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed OuldCheikh El Ghazouani — who is also chairperson of the African Union (AU) among others.
The meeting with the Malawian students in Korea
Meanwhile, Chilima met Malawian youths living in South Korea and accompanying him was Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu, who urged the youths to contribute to Malawi’s socio-economic development.
While applauding them for proposing constructive ideas to the Vice-President during the meeting, Kunkuyu emphasised that time has come for them to avoid wasting their precious time, energy and resources on things that will not benefit the country.
“As government, we need constructive ideas that can contribute to the development of our country. We have wasted much of our time in the past blaming one another while our neighbouring countries are developing. We need to change our mind set,” he said.
He also impressed on them how Malawi can borrow a leaf from South Korea on issues like trade, education and transportation
Gracious Chirambo, representative of the diaspora community in South Korea, many of whom are students, assured that youths will always contribute positively for the country to develop the way Korea did in few years.
“We wish our country well and it’s our wish that any knowledge and skills we are gaining here should benefit our country in one way or the other,” he said.
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