Re-Inventing Africa's Development
This open access book analyses the development problems of sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) from the eyes of a Korean diplomat with knowledge of the economic growth Korea has experienced in recent decades. The author argues that Africa's development challenges are not due to a lack of resources but a lack of management, presenting an alternative to the traditional view that Africa's problems are caused by a lack of leadership. In exploring an approach based on mind-set and nation-building, rather than unity – which tends to promote individual or party interests rather than the broader country or national interests – the author suggests new solutions for SSA's economic growth, inspired by Korea's successful economic growth model much of which is focused on industrialisation.
Jong-Dae Park is the South Korean Ambassador in South Africa and a specialist in African Development and Korea’s soft power. Park, a career diplomat, has been heavily engaged in development assistance for the last seven years when he was the Ambassador in Uganda. He also held the position of Director of Policy Planning in the Foreign Ministry, and served in the Presidential Office. He holds a BA from Yonsei University, Korea, an MA from UC Berkeley, USA, and a Ph.D. from Kyungnam University, Korea. Park has an extensive network with government leaders and elites, the academia, the international development community, business circles, the media, and volunteers and NGOs both in Africa and internationally.
