Korean President set to arrive Addis today

Addis Ababa, May 25, 2016 (FBC) – South Korean President Park Geun-hye will arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today.

In her four-day trip to Addis Ababa, Park will meet with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President Mulatu Teshome.

The trip, which also takes Park to Uganda and Kenya, comes as South Korean companies are pushing to expand business opportunities in these foreign markets that could give a much-needed boost to Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

In Ethiopia, Park is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the headquarters of the African Union and meet with African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two sides.

Park also plans to attend ceremonies for South Korea’s official development assistance programs in the three African countries. The Korea Aid program is designed to provide health service, food and cultural contents to local people.

South Korea — which has become the first former aid recipient to join the ranks of official donors in a half century — has so far concentrated its aid on Asia, but has recently expanded its assistance to African nations.

Seoul has earmarked 2.1 billion US dollars for its 2016 ODA budget to be used on some 1,230 overseas aid projects.