Cameroon Seeks South Korean Support to Accelerate AI and Digital Development

Cameroon is looking to deepen its partnership with South Korea as it pursues digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and agricultural modernization, key priorities under its National Development Strategy 2030.

The push came during the first Korea-Africa Ministerial Meeting in Seoul, where Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, joined representatives from about 50 African countries and regional organizations to discuss economic, technological, and geopolitical issues shaping Africa’s ties with global partners.

For South Korea, the gathering formed part of a broader effort to strengthen its presence on a continent that has become increasingly important for supply chains, natural resources, consumer markets, and technology partnerships.

For Cameroon, the meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the country’s development priorities and seek stronger South Korean involvement in areas considered critical to economic modernization.

According to the Ministry of External Relations, Mbella Mbella praised the quality of bilateral relations and encouraged South Korea to expand its support in artificial intelligence, digital technology, and agriculture.

These sectors are central to Cameroon’s efforts to improve productivity, modernize public administration, strengthen public services, and expand local value-added industries. South Korea’s experience in industrialization, innovation, and technology development makes it an attractive partner for these ambitions. Diplomatic relations between Cameroon and South Korea date back to 1961. Over the decades, cooperation has expanded to include healthcare, infrastructure, digital technology, training, and institutional exchanges.

In the health sector, South Korean support helped finance the Yaoundé Emergency Center and the Garoua General Hospital through funding from the Export-Import Bank of Korea. The Garoua facility remains one of the flagship projects of the partnership, with an investment valued at nearly CFA42 billion.

Beyond healthcare, South Korea has also supported customs modernization projects, the digitalization of public services, and training programs for young Cameroonians in advanced technologies. These initiatives have given the partnership a stronger technical dimension as Cameroon seeks to accelerate its digital transition.

People-to-people exchanges between the two countries remain relatively limited. In 2025, Cameroon’s foreign minister told lawmakers that about 200 Cameroonians were living in South Korea, while around 50 South Korean nationals resided in Cameroon, mainly through diplomatic and technical assignments.

A reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports, signed on June 2, 2024, and ratified in May 2025, is expected to facilitate official travel between the two countries. While the agreement does not apply to the general public, it could support institutional exchanges, technical missions, and the implementation of cooperation projects.

The Seoul meeting concluded with a joint declaration that laid the groundwork for deeper Korea-Africa cooperation and opened the door to another summit in 2029. For Cameroon, the momentum offers an opportunity to transform a long-standing diplomatic relationship into a more focused partnership aligned with the country’s economic priorities.

The next challenge will be turning commitments into concrete projects. In areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, agriculture, and healthcare, Cameroon will need to identify specific programs, secure funding, and ensure that cooperation with South Korea contributes directly to the implementation of its development strategy. Success on those fronts could give the partnership a more visible role in the country’s economic and technological transformation.

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