KDI School hosted the first Korea Global Leaders Fellowship (KGLF) which took place from April 30 to May 18. Organized in conjunction with the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the seminar brought together decision-makers from different countries who aimed to learn from one another as well as from Korea’s successful transformation from war-stricken poverty into prosperity.

KGLF has been created as a follow-up to some of the resolutions made at the Seoul G20 summit in 2010. Offering capacity-building of high-level government officials from around the world, KGLF targets to add value to the existing developmental commitments of their countries. This is in line with one of the core principles of Seoul Development Consensus, which highlighted each country’s role in designing its own development policy.  The seminar was given even greater impetus with the next G20 summit in Mexico just around the corner.

It is worth noting that among the high-profile participants there were a number of KDI School alumni—a testament to the quality of KDI School education, and to its positive impact towards global leadership. Some of the alumni that attended the seminar included Sami Ullah Rahmanzai (2010 MPP/ED, Afghanistan) from Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Muhammad Rafiqul Karim (2010 MPP/ED, Bangladesh) from Ministry of Finance and others from Ethiopia, Indonesia, Peru, Russia and Vietnam. Other participants hailed from countries like Australia, Ghana, Iraq and Senegal.

The seminar was divided in three modules, each dealing with a specific subject area. The first one featured a series of presentations focused on Korea’s development experience in each area, which helped participants draw lessons for their respective countries. The interactive nature of the presentations encouraged participants to contribute to the discussion and refine their ideas with the help of their peers. Covering various facets of Korean economic development, experts talked about development strategy, trade and human capital development.

The second module centred on G20 agendas as a preparation for the G20 forum in Mexico. Participants debated a range of issues that need to be tabled at the forthcoming summit, with special emphasis on climate change and sustainable development.

The third and final module involved writing a research paper that relates findings from the seminar to the unique needs of respective countries. KDI School is going to publish and circulate the papers to forge a stronger tie among the participants.

While participants were engrossed in writing a paper, I caught up with one of the alumni, Sami Ullah Rahmanzai, who works as Strategic Advisor in the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Afghanistan. When asked about his impressions of the seminar, he was unequivocal in describing the vital lessons he had drawn from the program. “The concise presentations, coupled with different views from participants with diverse experience and backgrounds, have shaped highly enriching weeks,” he commended.

This is the first of many KGLF programs to come, next initiative being scheduled in August. Equipping high-level officials with the right tools to change the world, KDI School has taken one step toward its motto, Towards Global Leadership.

By Keith HAMASUTE (2012 MPP, Zambia)