On the special occasion of 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Senegal and Korea and also in commemoration of 62nd Independence Day of Senegal, as an Honorary Consul of Senegal, Incheon, Korea, I would like to convey my heartfelt congratulations to Honorable President of Senegal, Macky Sall, and H.E. Abdou Salam Diallo, ambassador of Senegal to Korea and 17 million Senegalese people.

Even in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senegal operates an excellent and advanced quarantine system that maintains about half of the average number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Africa, and is a West African leader on the rise in Africa's new revival era, the African Renaissance, with political maturity, cultural values, high economic growth, and geographical advantages.

As Macky Sall, President of Senegal mentioned in his Independence Day speech on April  3rd, Senegal is now striving to take a leap forward, focusing on expanding its infrastructure to strengthen its defense forces, expanding employment opportunity for youth and women and vocational training, and securing food sovereignty.

Like Senegal, Korea was also a colony in the past and was a poor country in Asia until the 1960s, but since then, it could grow into the world's 10thlargest economy in the world with its strenuous efforts, dynamism and aspiration for future development.

I think it is my utmost honor to take this opportunity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Korea and Senegal and also 62nd Senegal's independence day on April 4 since 1962.  I have no doubt that Korea and Senegal having a lot in common in history and culture will enjoy much closer partnership than ever before and run toward a better tomorrow with common goal.

As an honorary consul, Incheon, Korea, I promise to exert my best efforts to strengthen further the close economic and cultural ties between Korea and Senegal in the years to come.