South Korean Firms Eye Africa Infrastructure Expansion

More than 100 representatives from 70 South Korean companies gathered in Abidjan this May to navigate procurement pathways for African Development Bank-funded initiatives. The hybrid seminar aimed to synchronize Korean technical expertise in digital infrastructure and disaster management with the continent’s most pressing development priorities.

Editorial·July 8, 2026·reads: 2,222

South Korean Firms Eye Africa Infrastructure Expansion

The seminar, titled Exploring Business Opportunities in Africa, provided a roadmap for navigating AfDB procurement processes and trust fund cooperation. Gauthier Bourlard, the Bank’s Senior Director for Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships, emphasized that Korean firms possess the advanced technology required to meet infrastructure demands across the continent.

A central component of this strategy is the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund, which currently manages a pipeline of investment-ready projects. A key example is the $967,000 Drone-Based Disaster Management Project in Mozambique, a collaboration involving Busan Techno Park that utilizes artificial intelligence for emergency rescue operations. These efforts serve as a precursor to the upcoming KOAFEC Ministerial Conference in Seoul this September, where stakeholders intend to formalize deeper private sector investment ties.