‘Korea is a very important contributor to the development of Senegal’

By Publisher Lee Kyung-sik, VC Cho Kyung-hee, Reporter Hwang Jung-ha

Ambassador of Senegal and Mrs. Mamadou Gueye Faye of the Republic Senegal in Seoul hosted an impressive reception at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on April 19, 2019 in celebration of the 59th Independence Day of Senegal.

It was attended by representatives of the Korean government and various other circles, including the business world and media circles.

Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Faye said in part: “Among the contributing partners, the Republic of Korea occupies a very important place. Indeed, the excellent relations existing between the two countries have been recently materialized by sending a high-level Korean delegation to the inauguration ceremony of His Excellency Macky SALL on April 2, 2019.”

Then he stated: “Korea supported Senegal in the financing of several projects such as construction of fishing ports, transport vessels, dredging vessels for the Casamance River, and the Sine Saloum inlet, acquisition of a large number of refrigerated trucks, construction and equipment of the international oncology center in Diamniadio, construction of the higher institute of vocational training, to name a few.”

Excerpts from the speech of the ambassador:
April 4, 2019 marks the 59th anniversary of the accession of the Republic of Senegal to the international sovereignty.

For all nations, the celebration of the Independence Day has a particular meaning.
It is the occasion to draw together all components of the nation to remember the unitary dynamics that must guide the construction of national unity of which the foundation has been firmly laid by our ancestors.

As you know, the first trimester of this year in Senegal has been marked by the organization of the Presidential election on February 24, 2019.
The result of this election, which led to the re-election of His Excellency President Macky SALL to the supreme authority of the country, has been widely welcomed by national and international observers.

It has allowed different voices and opinions to express themselves freely and in all tranquility and to make their choice of the President by for the most of them, renewing the confidence in the outgoing President.

The way in which the electoral process took place has thus contributed to the strengthening of the democratic culture and peace of our country as well.

This choice the Senegalese people have made naturally guarantees their country the continuity of the actions previously carried out.

At the international level, it engages the country to continue to work for peace all over the world, to strengthen its actions for protection and promotion of human rights, to combat ignorance, to fight against all forms of inequality and violence, to promote the protection of the environment for a world where the present and future generation will be able to live in health and happiness and to flourish socially.

At the domestic level, this choice engages Senegal not only to continue its efforts in the economic and social areas but also to strengthen and consolidate the democratic assets the nation.

With regard to economic and social development, the implementation of Phase I or Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), called Priority Action Plan (PAP Ⅰ) 2014-2018, allowed our country to make great leaps in recent years in the fields of infrastructure, energy, education, rural development and support for the most underprivileged.

These achievements could have been realized thanks to the mobilization of the national resources and largely to the contribution of the international cooperation as well.

Among the contributing partners, the Republic of Korea occupies a very important place.
Indeed, the excellent relations existing between the two countries have been recently materialized by sending a high-level Korean delegation to the inauguration ceremony of His Excellency Macky SALL on April 2, 2019.

Korea supported Senegal in the financing of several projects such as construction of fishing ports, transport vessels, dredging vessels for the Casamance River, and the Sine Saloum inlet, acquisition of a large number of refrigerated trucks, construction and equipment of the international oncology center in Diamniadio, construction of the higher institute of vocational training, to name a few.

As part of the implementation of Phase Ⅱ of the PSE, planned for the period 2019~2023 with a cost of more than 24 billion $ US, Senegal has gathered the approval of the technical and financial partners as well as the national and international private sector at the Advisory Group Meeting held in Paris on December 17&18, 2018.

With their commitment for funding of more than 12 billion $US. In the same vein, Senegal is expecting benefit from the Korean government the same support that it showed during Phase Ⅰ.

The main objective of the Priority Action Plan Ⅱ is to continue the achievement of the previous phase with a particular highlight put on the industrial sector.

This is also an opportunity to solemnly renew my invitation to the Korean private sector to invest more actively in Senegal following the companies as DONGWON with CAPSEN and SCASA, GRAND BLEU, DARLING AND SENECOR, etc.

Indeed, in additional to its political and social stability and its privileged geographical position, Senegal presents a very attractive business environment.

With the development of exclusive economic zones to increase the investment opportunities for the national and international private sector and to achieve sustainable industrialization of the country.

Senegal remains as a country open to the world where all the conditions for profitable investment and a win-win partnership are now in place.

During his recent visit in Senegal to represent the Republic of Korea at the 3rd edition of the International Conference on the Emergence of Africa (ICEA Ⅲ) held in last January, the Honourable Lee Ju-Young was able to witness it firsthand.

Senegal and Korea have a perfect convergence of views on the ideals of peace, democracy and promotion of human rights.

That if why Senegal fully supports all the initiatives of the Republic of Korea with a view to permanent pacification of the Korea peninsula for economic and social progress.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Korean Government, the honorable members of the Korea-Senegal Ambassadors or their representatives, the Honorary Consul of Senegal in Incheon, My dear compatriots and to all the guests who were kind enough to be here with us to share these moments of celebration for our nation.

I wish all of you to have an excellent evening.