Expert Roundtable Held in Advance of the 8th Seoul Dialogue on Africa

Ahead of the 8th Seoul Dialogue on Africa (SDA), the Korea-Africa Foundation convened an Expert Roundtable on Thursday, 11 December, at The Plaza Hotel, with the aim of strengthening Korea’s Africa research ecosystem. Approximately ten experts from academia and research institutions participated in the meeting, engaging in in-depth discussions on expanding the domestic research base on Africa and building collaborative networks.

During the presentation session, Kim Su-yeon, Director of the Information and Data Department at the ASEAN-Korea Centre, introduced a range of cooperation cases, including the Centre’s organizational structure, academic and research partnerships, and programs for nurturing early-career researchers. In particular, the experience of building the Korea?ASEAN cooperation network was assessed as a meaningful reference for strengthening the Korea?Africa cooperation platform.

The subsequent expert discussion addressed a wide range of topics, including ▲ strengthening inter-institutional collaboration structures and research networks ▲ nurturing early-career researchers ▲ expanding field-oriented research ▲ building basic statistics and data ▲ and expanding education and training programs. Participants shared the view that the Korea-Africa Foundation should further strengthen its role as a platform connecting academia, policymakers, and international organizations.

In his closing remarks, Gam Un-an, Standing Director of the Foundation, stated that the suggestions presented during the roundtable would serve as an important foundation for the Foundation’s future initiatives, and emphasized that collaboration with the academic community would be actively expanded as part of the strategic cooperation framework toward 2026.