06 Jun 2024

Botswana’s participation in this week’s Korea-Africa Summit, and side engagements purposed to strengthen ties with the Republic of Korea, one of the world’s most advanced economies, had proven to be a fruitful first step to longer term tangible benefit. 

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed these sentiments in an interview as his tour of the much-vaunted South East Asian economic miracle drew to a close. 

The host nation offers Botswana and Africa both requisite historical lessons and current best practice, he said. 

“The Korea-Africa Summit is significant because Korea can draw many parallels in its development trajectory and that of Africa,” Dr Masisi said. 

“Korea emerged from Japanese colonisation and the Korean War, and had a similar economic position as Ghana in the 1960s. They have since progressed to being a high-income innovative economy, one of the most advanced in the world. In terms of seeing the example, Korea is more relatable to African states than if we were called by the United States, China or Europe,” the President added.  He stressed the need for Botswana to take cue from Korea and work hard as a nation to ensure a prosperous future for all. 

“I have a deep conviction that we can do it, but we need mindset change, to develop a positive attitude, of achieving, respect for excellence and reward for it. Excellence needs constant learning and sharpening, and I want it to be individualised, and adding the sum of the total of it would benefit all,” Dr Masisi said.

During his visit, President Masisi met his Korean counterpart,  President Yoon Suk Yeol, and met Korean captains of industry, including Mr Ching Euisun-Chung, the Executive Chairman of Hyundai, the second biggest company in Korea, and Mr Song Hung, the Chief Executive Officer of Kia Corporation. 

“I am really determined to develop partnerships in various sectors - automobile, the digital space, collaboration in education, business enterprise development and water system management. It is really about developing the ecosystems, to get enterprises to succeed, systems to work efficiently,” he stated. 

As President Masisi and his entourage began the long journey back home, he was hopeful that the Korea trip would sow the seed for long term fruit; that this would be but the start of a solid economic partnership - in the words of the Oriental saying, ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. ends