South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korea International Cooperation Agency will hold the 15th Seoul ODA International Conference on Thursday to discuss the expansion of global development partnership.

Held under the theme of “Expanding Horizons for Global Development Partnership,” this year‘s conference will address various aspects of ODA amid rising challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change to increasing regional conflicts.

The conference will be focused on the role of emerging donors that are growing in number, and also on South Korea’s goal in the ODA scene as a “global pivotal state” and on expanding global development partnership, the ministry said.

KOICA President Sohn Hyuk-sang and Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will attend the conference to deliver the opening and welcoming remarks, respectively. Secretary-General Mathias Cormann of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Masood Ahmed, the president of Center for Global Development are to deliver congratulatory remarks. The keynote speech will be provided by Armida Alisjahbana, UN’s Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, according to the organizers.

The conference will be in four sessions: Global Pivotal State: Charting a New Path for Korea’s Development Cooperation in an era of Global Uncertainty; New Emerging Donors, Changing Landscape; Exchanging Knowledge, Embracing New Experiences; and Incorporating Diversity, Broadening Partnerships.

The conference, which will be held at the Shilla Seoul, will be livestreamed on KOICA‘s official YouTube Channel.

The Seoul ODA International Conference first launched in 2007 and has since been a platform for development experts, scholars, and policy makers around the globe to share knowledge and exchange views about the current issues in international development.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)