AELC Co-founder & Chair travels to Saudi Arabia and South Korea

Kirtan Bhana

Travel and tourism is the beating heart of the post-crisis global economic reconstruction. It is people-to-people exchanges and face-to-face meetings that lead to innovation and enterprise.

It is with this knowledge and understanding that Percy Koji, Co-founder and Chair of the Africa Economic Leadership Council (AELC) travelled to Saudi Arabia and South Korea to promote Africa’s vast resources and to realise the continent’s untapped, sustainable potential.

In Saudi Arabia Koji met with Deputy Minister of Investments, Faysal E Hamza with discussions to raise capital for AELC and to support enterprise with a focus on green initiatives. Considering that the gulf country has the largest hydrocarbon reserves, this initiative for green products will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and assist Africa with climate change mitigation. Meeting with Chairperson of the Federal Chamber of Commerce of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Rahman Almoubid, collaboration on trade, investment and finance were discussed as the agency of the African continent is recognised.

Koji also travelled to South Korea, a country that once languished as a least developed country with a per capita GDP lower than that of countries in Africa at the time, and is now ranked among the top ten developed nations with advanced economies. This “economic miracle of our time” is an example that Africa could follow on its path to prosperity. The abundant, arid agricultural lands, the rich mineral resources and vast marine bounty of Africa can be of immense value to South Koreas further enhancement. Agriculture, education and culture along with tourism create the ideal opportunities for social and economic exchanges. Koji’s foundation, FML – Friends of Morokweng, aims to support over 50 000 underprivileged youth in this regard.

The launch of AELC over this short space of time during the pandemic, in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana indicates a need to accelerate integration of the countries of the African continent. The constructive engagements with the high net worth Saudi Arabians and the tech savvy Koreans lays a solid foundation for connectivity and travel for leisure, business, recreation and official purposes.

This a previous publication of the Diplomatic Society.