Pearl Mavura, a 15-year-old Tanzanian student (left) and Ra Jian, a 16-year-old South Korean student speak at Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum held at the Swiss Grand Hotel in Seoul on Thursday. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)

Students from South Korea and Tanzania stressed the importance of achieving a sustainable future through co-prosperity at the Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum held Thursday.

Pearl Mavura, a 15-year-old student from Tanzania, and Ra Jian, a 16-year-old student attending an international school here, took turns expressing their hopes for a better future, in line with the potential partnership that could form through the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit scheduled June 4-5.

Mavura kicked off her speech by mentioning Agenda 2063, a set of initiatives adopted in 2015 by the African Union involving 55 member states, with a set of 50-year goals including the eradication of poverty, political integration and improvement in democracy.

“Agenda 2063 aims to achieve an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena,” Mavura said.

Mavura, while picturing herself as a 55-year-old in 2063, said, “The goals are therefore not just hopes and dreams,” but her future and Africa that she “will live to see” and “want to see it thrive.”

“I fully believe that with the collaboration of countries like South Korea, we will all make it there. No matter what challenge comes our way, we will overcome it,” she added.

Ra, on the other hand, said that Koreans must ask themselves whether we live in “true prosperity” despite having ranked as the 14th largest economy in the world this year.

“Our generation is on a highway with no rest stops, mirroring our country’s relentless economic development. And in this quest, we have lost sight of certain values and traditions that were the cornerstone of our country,” Ra said.

The 16-year-old student stressed that Korea’s progress should be a “deliberate, gradual evolution towards a sustainable future” with its partnerships with African nations being key pillars.

“By integrating South Korea’s economic strength and past lessons with Africa’s economic potential and resources, we can build a sustainable, promising future for both.”