Korea and African Development Bank Launch Korea-Africa AI Hub, Naming Tanzania AI Institution as First Project

South Korea and the African Development Bank adopted a joint declaration at the 2026 KOAFEC conference in Seoul to establish a Korea-Africa AI Hub, launching a new 'K-AI Package' of AI infrastructure funding whose first selected project is an AI education institution in Tanzania.

The Agreement

At the 8th Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference, held September 8-11, 2026 in Seoul under the theme 'Harnessing AI and Digital Infrastructure for Africa's Transformation,' Korea's Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yoon-cheol and African Development Bank President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah adopted the 2026 KOAFEC Joint Declaration and signed a letter of intent to establish a Korea-Africa AI Hub. The conference marked KOAFEC's 20th anniversary and drew ministerial delegations from 45 African nations; it was opened by Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook.

The K-AI Package

As part of the declaration, Korea launched the 'K-AI Package,' which will channel AI solutions, data centre support, and power infrastructure funding to African countries through Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund. The package's first selected project is an AI education institution in Tanzania. The KOAFEC Trust Fund has mobilized roughly $4 billion toward a $6 billion-plus investment pipeline since 2007.

Why it matters

The Korea-Africa AI Hub represents a significant bilateral push into African AI infrastructure and skills development outside the more commonly covered US, Chinese, and Gulf-state investment flows, backed by a development finance institution with a two-decade track record on the continent.