Ethiopia seeks ‘climate-resilient, inclusive’ development cooperation with Korea: top envoy – The Korea Times
Ethiopian Ambassador to South Korea Dessie Dalkie Dukamo speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Ethiopia hopes for strong cooperation with South Korea as Seoul's aid and investment in key initiatives will help bolster the African country's drive for climate resilient development and long-term growth that benefit local communities, its top envoy has said.
Ethiopian Ambassador to South Korea Dessie Dalkie Dukamo made the remarks in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, saying that Korea's technological prowess and industrial development experience can play a key role in supporting Ethiopia's efforts toward sustainable growth.
"(Development cooperation should) align closely with Ethiopia's own green development and agricultural strategies, emphasize capacity-building and technology transfer, especially in forest management and climate-smart agriculture," Dukamo said.
"If we combine Korea's experience in reforestation and digital innovation … we can build a model of climate-resilient rural development that benefits both people and the planet," he said.
Ethiopia is pushing its "Green Legacy Initiative" to transform the country — highly vulnerable to droughts and other natural disasters due to land degradation and deforestation — into one that can better tackle climate change.
Launched in 2019, the flagship initiative centers on planting billions of seedlings nationwide every year, with the total reaching 39.6 billion trees at the end of 2024, according to its website. A related U.N. webpage states the reforestation program has created more than 767,000 jobs in Ethiopia.
Dukamo suggested green projects like these are areas where Korea's support, both in development aid and private-sector investment, can align closely with Ethiopia's priorities.
"We encourage responsible Korean private investment in agro-processing and green technologies so as to further improve localization and sustainability," he said.
"We are grateful that Ethiopia remains a priority country for Korean official development assistance," the ambassador added.
Dukamo also cast South Korea as an important partner for Ethiopia's wider national modernization effort to upgrade the country into a regional and international hub.
The new Bishoftu International Airport project in Addis Ababa is one of those programs where Korea's track record in urban development and infrastructure can come into play, he said.
"We see several areas where Korean cooperation can contribute significantly, such as smart city planning, digital governance and integrated transport systems," Dukamo said.
He expressed hope that cooperation will expand to training Ethiopian workers through partnerships with Korean institutions.
"Our objective is to ensure that infrastructure is not just impressive in scale, but also inclusive, creating jobs, transferring technology and improving daily life for citizens," he said.
On concerns over supply chain disruptions sparked by tensions in the Middle East, Dukamo stressed countries should diversify their supply sources and work together to keep trade routes "open" and "predictable."
"Ethiopia advocates for diversification, open and predictable trade routes, and investments that better connect Africa to global markets," he said.
Joining the BRICS forum in 2024 — a regional grouping consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and others — reflects part of Ethiopia's efforts to support cooperative solutions that reduce volatility in energy and food markets, Dukamo noted.
"It was a strategic choice to engage more actively in shaping a changing global order," he said. "We wish to contribute to a more balanced, multipolar international system while maintaining good relations with all our partners."
Dukamo described bilateral relations with South Korea as a "living legacy," shaped by Ethiopia's participation in the 1950-53 Korean War as the only African country to have sent ground troops.
"This 'blood alliance' is today a strong political partnership and a relationship of genuine mutual respect," he said.
Looking ahead, the best way to keep this relationship alive is to make it meaningful for younger generations, through efforts such as educational exchanges and cultural projects, the envoy said.
"By connecting history with opportunities in education, technology and businesses, we can ensure that this alliance is not only remembered but renewed," he said.
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