Tunisian Foreign Minister Urges South Korean Firms to Expand in Africa

Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti said investments in Africa will offer new business opportunities and help South Korean firms diversify supply chains amid disruptions in major trade routes. In a written interview with Yonhap News Agency, Nafti stated that Tunisia can serve as a strategic gateway for South Korean businesses seeking access to African, European, and Middle Eastern markets.

He noted that the country sits at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Arab world and offers industrial maturity, improving infrastructure, and skilled workers.

Nafti said recent instability around the Strait of Hormuz has increased the need for South Korea to diversify production locations in Africa. He added that shipping routes around the Cape of Good Hope have gained importance as traditional maritime routes face disruptions.

The minister said African nations now seek partnerships with South Korea focused on industrial development and technology transfer rather than resource extraction or traditional aid. He highlighted South Korea's expertise in information and communications technology, artificial intelligence, and smart manufacturing as areas that could support Africa's industrial and digital transformation.

Nafti is one of more than 50 foreign ministers and senior diplomats from African nations scheduled to attend the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Seoul on Monday. Participants will discuss joint responses to global challenges and ways to increase cooperation.

Nafti previously served as Tunisia's ambassador to South Korea from 2013 to 2018. He said his time in Seoul shaped his views on Korea-Africa cooperation and described returning to the city as returning to a second home.