Viviane Wade, wife of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade (right), walks with Gursharan
Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as they arrive for a
session of the first India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday. — AFP
photo |
New Delhi, April 9
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sought to allay apprehensions that India was in race or competition with China or any other country to woo Africa stating that New Delhi was seeking to be a partner of Africa’s resurgence.
The summit issued a Delhi declaration and ‘Framework for Cooperation’ document, outlining ways in which the two sides would implement joint programmes to build a meaningful and productive partnership.
Leaders from 14 African countries, who attended the summit, appreciated India’s initiatives like duty free preferential access and emphasised the need for quick follow up action to implement them.
The Prime Minister, addressing a joint press conference with African leaders at the end of the two-day meet, said, “India stands committed to work with Africa to strengthen our cooperation in every possible way. We wish to be partners in Africa’s resurgence.”
He said the ties between the two sides date back to the colonial era and the desire to work with Africa was not a new experience.
The Prime Minister’s assertion comes amid suggestions that India organised the summit with Africa to reach out to the continent since China was making inroads there.
He also answered questions over delay in holding the India-Africa summit, saying preparations for it had started two and a half years ago, soon after the UPA came to power.
He said India does not want to impose anything
on Africa and just wanted to be partners.
Dwelling on his announcement of providing duty free preferential market access to exports from the least developed countries, he said it would have immediate impact on certain goods.
For long-term benefits, the two sides will have to build capacities so that such initiatives do not become empty gestures.
Referring to the issue of food security, he said maintenance of momentum of the economies of India and African countries require greater investment and modernisation of agriculture sector.
He added there was enormous scope for cooperation between the two sides.
Chairman of 53-nation African Union (AU) Alpha Oumar Konare expressed his hope that concrete action would follow on the initiatives agreed at the summit.
Underlining that Africa needs cooperation on equal footing, he said they don’t want to be horses anymore. “All those riding on us have to get down our backs. We are ready to run in the race as equal partners,” he added.
The African countries invited large Indian investments and expertise to help in their development.
Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who is also the president of the AU, suggested that major Indian private companies like Mittal and Tata should relocate their plants to Africa where they can have ample raw material and services.
He also voiced concern over the rising oil prices internationally, saying it impacted developing countries more and favoured collective approaches to meet the challenge.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said there was huge potential for cooperation in the economic field.
They also agreed to exchange experiences in security and peacekeeping, in fighting terrorism
and cooperate in training programmes.
Experiences in governance and local administration, cooperation in science and technology and information technology are other areas identified in the document.
The two sides also agreed to cooperate in the areas of health, water sanitation, climate, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development and energy.
