“President BONBO ONDIMBA is conscious of the tremendous support Korea can bring”, Amb. Boungou of Gabon

To commemorate the 50th (Golden Jubilee) anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Gabon which was signed on Oct. 1, 1962, Amb. Carlos Victor Boungou of Gabon and his spouse Mrs. Blandine Boungou held a grand sit-down dinner reception on Oct. 11, 2012 with the attendance of Minister Etienne Dieudonne NGOUBOU of Oil, Energy & Hydraulic Resources of the Gabonese Republic at the downtown Lotte Hotel, Seoul.

 

   
Amb. Boungou of Gabon (left) welcomes Amb. Hocine Sahraoui of Algeria & his spouse at the reception line.


Including Amb. Vitali V. Fen of Uzbek who serves as dean of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps, many African envoys showed up with their spouses such as Amb. Hilton Anthony Dennis of South Africa, Amb. Hocine Sahraoui of Algeria, Amb. Amadou Dabo of Senegal, to name just a few. Deputy Minister Kim Bong-hyun who deals Multilateral & Global Affairs at MOFAT, was on hand to deliver the governments remarks which stressed extensive partnerships between the two countries. Other distinguished guests included former Korea Amb. Kang Sun-yong to Gabon who is now Chair Prof. at Dankook University, Advisor Kim Sam-youl of Samsung C&T, Honorary Chairman Ryu Hong-woo of Yoosung Enterprise, and Senior Vice President Bae Kyung-han of Ssangyong Engineering & Construction etc.

The following is a speech, delivered by His Excellency Amb. Carlos Victor Boungou of Gabon during the reception. –Ed.

It is a great privilege, and it gives me pleasure to stand before you this evening on the occasion of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Gabonese Republic and the Republic of Korea. This is a strong relationship with bonds of friendship and cooperation fostered over the years since Oct. 1st, 1962 and based upon the pursuit of a permanent political dialogue and the diversification of areas of cooperation in accordance with the aspirations of both countries and peoples.

 

   
Congratulatory performance to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.


Gabon is in fact one of the very first African countries to establish a Diplomatic Mission here in Seoul way back in June 1975, following the opening of the South Korean Embassy in Libreville, Gabon, in May 1973. This commitment reflects without any doubt Gabon’s determination to emulate the Korean model, but also the willingness of Korean authorities to support Gabon in its development process.
The highest officials of the Gabonese Republic have visited South Korea several times. Former President Omar BONGO travelled to Seoul 4 times, and a car made in Korea was named after the President. This car is the “KIA BONGO”, otherwise known as “BONGO Tsha”, which is now in its third generation.
President Ali BONGO ONDIMBA has visited Korea two times recently, in Oct. 2010 and March 2012. He seized the opportunity of these visits to discuss with President Lee Myung-Bak ways and means of reinforcing bilateral cooperation, while emphasizing the promotion of economic cooperation, sustainable development, peace and security in the world, the protection of the environment and climate change.
In this context, several agreements have been signed since 2010 between the two governments, but also between Gabon and major South Korean companies.
President Ali BONGO ONDIMBA has focused Gabon’s economic development on three strategic pillars that are “Green Gabon”, “Industrial Gabon” and “Gabon of Services”. It is his hope that Korea will participate efficiently in the achievement of his project to turn Gabon into an emerging country by the year 2025. President BONBO ONDIMBA is conscious of the tremendous support Korea can bring, bearing in mind the rapid economic growth Korea has achieved, from a poor country to an industrialized nation in just half a century.
The increase in high-level visits in both countries, the “Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP)” between experts of the two countries on priority areas defined by mutual consent, and the presence of more Korean companies in Gabon, especially in the fields of industry, information and communication technology, as well as goods and services constitute a testimony that our bilateral cooperation is excellent.
One of the major projects today is the construction by “Samsung Construction and Trading” of a modern refinery plant with a production capacity of about 50,000 barrels per day in the petroleum city of Port-Gentil. This project will certainly be an important asset in the win-win partnership between the two countries, and should constitute a driving force in attracting more Korean companies to Gabon.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I finally hope you will enjoy a pleasant and wonderful evening. It is my desire to see the reinforcement of bilateral cooperation between the Gabonese Republic and the Republic of Korea for the next fifty years and beyond.
 

저작권자 © 서울시티 무단전재 및 재배포 금지