Sakshi Education
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28th October held bilateral talks with heads of several African nations during which UN reforms, combating challenge of terrorism and boosting trade and investment, particularly in oil and gas sector, figured prominently.
The African leaders appreciated India's development projects in the continent and sought deepening of ties in diverse sectors including health care, education and capacity building.
The heads of state and government of African countries are in India will participate in the India Africa Forum Summit. There was a detailed discussion between South African President Zuma and Indian Prime Minister on ways to tackle threat of terrorism, with both stressing that there was a need for concrete strategy to fight the menace in a united way.
The South African leader said coming together of African countries with India showed to the world that they no longer are dependent on former colonial powers. The Prime Minister also met President of Zimbabwe, and Chairman of African Union Robert Mugabe. Both the leaders discussed issues of common interest, including UN reforms and the threat of terrorism.
Mr Mugabe is the co-chair for the India Africa Forum Summit, and the two leaders reviewed the preparations for the Summit. The Prime Minister also met President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana during which both sides reviewed the warm bilateral ties.
Growing bilateral trade came up for discussion and both leaders stressed on the need to step up engagement in sectors like agriculture, IT, skill development, cyber security and maritime security
Other important points
The heads of state and government of African countries are in India will participate in the India Africa Forum Summit. There was a detailed discussion between South African President Zuma and Indian Prime Minister on ways to tackle threat of terrorism, with both stressing that there was a need for concrete strategy to fight the menace in a united way.
The South African leader said coming together of African countries with India showed to the world that they no longer are dependent on former colonial powers. The Prime Minister also met President of Zimbabwe, and Chairman of African Union Robert Mugabe. Both the leaders discussed issues of common interest, including UN reforms and the threat of terrorism.
Mr Mugabe is the co-chair for the India Africa Forum Summit, and the two leaders reviewed the preparations for the Summit. The Prime Minister also met President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana during which both sides reviewed the warm bilateral ties.
Growing bilateral trade came up for discussion and both leaders stressed on the need to step up engagement in sectors like agriculture, IT, skill development, cyber security and maritime security
Other important points
- The India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is set to bring smiles to the families of Indian citizens held as prisoners in African nations of Togo and Nigeria.
- A day ahead of the formal summit meeting, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a record 31 structured bilateral meetings with visiting African leaders separately, discussing issues of extending more line of credit (LoC), boosting trade and investment and also combating challenges of terrorism and working together to push reforms at the United Nations.
- During his meeting with the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, Modi specifically raised the issue of 11 Indian prisoners, arrested last year for sailing into that country's waters. Their ship had left Ghana for Cameroon and due to technical snag, was forced to anchor in the Port of Brass.
- On July 25 last year, the Nigerian navy arrested the workers of the ship and handed them over to the Economic Financial Crime Commission of Nigeria.
- Earlier Swaraj raised the issue of five Indian prisoners held in Togo with its foreign minister Robert Dussey. Togo foreign minister told Swaraj that his country would look into chances of presidential pardon as well, to expedite release of Indian prisoners.
- A common theme running across all the meetings was African leaders asking India to ensure to setup a monitoring mechanism and regular follow ups so that aid and Line of Credit is disbursed quickly to accentuate completion of projects.
- They highlighted that due to complexity of procedures and lack of communication and absence of regular monitoring, commitments are getting derailed, even though they appreciated India's development projects in the continent and sought deepening of ties in diverse sectors including healthcare, education and capacity building.
- There was also an agreement to work together to ensure reforms at the United Nations. Foreign Minister of Mauritius Usha Dwarka Canabady added a new dimension demanding Indian support to the small island developing states for a dedicated seat at the UN Security Council.
- In his meeting, South African President Jacob Zuma said it was important that all likeminded countries come together to ensure reform of the UN, observing that many conflicts in the world including the Syrian crisis could not be resolved because of veto powers of the UNSC member countries.
- The South African leader also said coming together of African countries with India showed to the world that they no longer are dependent on former colonial powers.
- The Prime Minister also met Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, and Chairman of African Union. Mugabe is the co-chair for the India Africa Forum Summit, and the two leaders reviewed the preparations for the Summit.
Published date : 29 Oct 2015 04:40PM
