Korean The President met President Abdoulaye Wade of the Republic of Senegal at Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 23 and discussed mutual concerns including Korea-Africa relations.

President Lee gave a positive evaluation on increasing trade between Korea and Senegal, and asked President Wave to lend his support for Korean companies'' participation in Senegal''s infrastructure building projects. The bilateral trade between the two countries has increased twofold since 2005.

President Lee also said that Korea would continue to expand its overseas development assistance (ODA) support for African countries and promised to help develop Senegal''s agriculture, social service, and education & training sectors.

President Wade expressed his appreciation for the Korean government''s continuous developmental support for his country and hoped that Korean private investment into Senegal would continue to expand.

The Senegalese President highly evaluated Korean government efforts to seek stronger cooperation with African countries, such as by hosting the Korea-Africa Forum (Nov. 23 to 25, 2009).

President Lee said that he would develop Korea-Africa cooperation in multiple directions and pledged to represent non G20-members'' interest and stance at the upcoming G20 summit in 2010.

Meanwhile, President Wade is scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate from Sookmyung Women''s University, meet with the CEOs of the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Samsung C&T Corporation, and meet the president of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center (Korea''s national development movement of the 1970s).

Since Senegal gained independence in 1960 and established diplomatic relations with Seoul in 1962, all three presidents of the African country have visited Korea. Based on traditionally friendly cooperative ties, bilateral interactions should continue to expand and advance in the future in all areas encompassing the economy, trade, politics and culture, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.