Rwandan envoy to Korea Bakuramutsa Nkubito speaks in an interview with The Korea Herald ahead of Africa Day at Embassy of Rwanda in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on Friday. ( Im se-jun/ The Korea Herald) Africa Day Seoul 2026 to bridge Korea, Africa and broader Global South with culture says Rwandan envoy to KoreaAfrica Day 2026 in Seoul will celebrate African unity and friendship with Korea through cultural exchange, and boost Africa, South Korea and the broader Global South, according to Ambassador of Rwanda to Korea Bakuramutsa Nkubito.The day commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity — now the African Union — in 1963, celebrating Africa’s liberation, unity and cultural heritage.This year’s Africa Day celebration in Seoul, jointly hosted by the African Group of Ambassadors, the Korea-Africa Foundation and The Korea Herald, will feature cultural performances, a Korea-Africa fashion show, networking events and high-level diplomatic engagement at Grand Hyatt Seoul.Speaking ahead of the celebration, Nkubito described Africa Day as a platform “where K-culture will meet A-culture (African culture)” through music, fashion and creative collaboration."Africa Day is one of the most visible platforms linking Korea with Africa and the broader Global South," he said.While Korea introduced the world to the power of K-culture, he said Africa Day would help showcase the rise of “A-culture” globally by connecting “K-culture and K-fashion with African music and design,” according to Nkubito.“Africa is a partner, Africa is ready and we welcome Korea to work with us,” he said, adding that cultural, economic and people-to-people exchanges would boost Korea’s engagement with Africa and the broader Global South.South Korea has intensified outreach to African countries in recent years through initiatives such as the Korea-Africa Summit and Seoul’s broader Global South strategy.South Korea and African countries are to hold a foreign ministers' meeting in Seoul in June 2026 to sustain summit momentum and initiatives on critical minerals, regional engagement and trade.But cultural engagement between Korea and Africa still remains relatively limited compared to economic and diplomatic exchanges.The envoy said Africa Day on Wednesday will bring K-culture and African culture together, fostering practical collaboration in music, fashion, branding, digital content and creative industries.He noted that Africa’s fashion and textile sector is one of the fastest-growing, currently worth about $39 billion and projected to reach nearly $50 billion by 2030.“Korea has done exceptional work globally in promoting K-culture, K-pop, K-drama and K-fashion,” Nkubito said. Rwandan envoy to Korea Bakuramutsa Nkubito pse for a photo before an interview with The Korea Herald ahead of Africa Day at Embassy of Rwanda in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on Friday. ( Im se-jun/ The Korea Herald) “We welcome partnerships and hope to learn from what the Korean industry has achieved,” he said.“We want to build a strong partnership between Korea and Africa. Africa, as you know, is today the new frontier,” Nkubito said, highlighting Africa’s population of more than 1.4 billion people, rapid urbanization and growing opportunities in infrastructure, energy, innovation and technology.Nkubito cited Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s call to “change the narrative about Africa being too risky a continent,” saying it reflects Africa’s shift from a marginal recipient to a credible global development partner.He added, “Over the next decade, Africa Day in Korea should evolve into a flagship Korea-Africa engagement platform,” and stressed that “stronger human connections and cultural exchanges are becoming increasingly important” in a digitally connected world.He also said Africa Day enables African countries in Korea to present the continent as “a continent of diversity, opportunity, creativity and strategic importance,” rather than fragmented narratives.Highlighting Korea’s development experience, Nkubito said many African countries view South Korea as an inspiring example of transformation and resilience.“Korea’s remarkable journey from an aid recipient to a leading global economy demonstrates the transformative impact of investment in education, technology, industrialization and human capital,” he said.Asked why the day is special this year, Nkubito said Africa Day 2026 comes at a critical moment as Africa increasingly positions itself as a future hub for innovation, renewable energy, digital transformation and global economic growth.“This year’s edition reflects the growing maturity of Africa-Korea relations, where cooperation increasingly extends beyond traditional diplomacy into culture, innovation, youth engagement and private-sector partnerships,” he concluded.