Africa and the Republic of Korea are placing artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure at the centre of their next phase of economic cooperation as ministers, development institutions and private-sector leaders gather in Seoul for the eighth Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Ministerial Conference.
The conference runs from 8 to 11 September 2026 under the theme “Harnessing AI and Digital Infrastructure for Africa’s Transformation.” It marks 20 years of the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation partnership and is expected to shape a new 2027–2028 action plan covering digital transformation, infrastructure, private-sector development, energy and human capital.
The African Development Bank, Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Export-Import Bank of Korea are co-hosting the meeting. The Bank says the forum will bring together African finance ministers, Korean policymakers, development partners, investors, private companies and technology firms.
Beyond importing technology
For African economies, the significance of the meeting goes beyond access to Korean technology. The more important question is whether new partnerships can support the physical and institutional foundations of Africa’s digital economy, including data infrastructure, connectivity, computing capacity, technical skills, digital public systems and local enterprise development.
Korea’s experience in industrial policy, broadband expansion, electronics, digital government and export-led manufacturing gives the partnership strategic relevance at a time when African governments are seeking ways to capture more value from rapid digitalisation rather than remain primarily consumers of imported systems and platforms.
AI requires infrastructure
Artificial intelligence policy is increasingly becoming an infrastructure question. Advanced AI systems depend on reliable electricity, high-capacity networks, data centres, cloud services, secure data systems and a workforce able to build and manage them. Many African markets still face significant gaps across those layers.
That makes financing particularly important. The KOAFEC platform has historically supported project preparation, technical assistance and cooperation between African governments and Korean institutions. The 2026 conference is expected to expand that focus toward AI and digital infrastructure, but any new commitments should be judged by the extent to which they create durable African capacity rather than isolated technology deployments.
What to watch
The immediate test will be the 2027–2028 action plan and any financing or project announcements emerging from Seoul. Particular attention will be needed on whether proposed programmes support local skills, African businesses, resilient infrastructure and long-term ownership of digital capabilities.
The conference therefore sits at the intersection of development finance, technology policy and geoeconomics. For Africa, the opportunity is not simply to participate in the global AI race, but to build enough of the underlying infrastructure and productive capacity to shape its own position within it.
Sources
- African Development Bank: 2026 KOAFEC Ministerial Conference
- African Development Bank: Korea and Africa chart new course on AI and digital infrastructure
- African Development Bank: 8th KOAFEC Ministerial Conference event notice
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