Raising the pitch for UN Security Council reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked 54 African nations to join India in demanding an overhaul of the global body to make it more “democratic, inclusive and representative” of the current world.
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Commerce & Industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Africa was a natural partner of India.
In a written interview with African journalists at the editors forum of the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) here, Modi said the New Development Bank was a significant initiative that can have a profound impact on the global financial order.
The global Monetary Fund has determined that the value of India’s exports (now largely high-end consumer goods) to Africa have increased by over 100 percent from 2008 to 2013-meaning that India has now forged ahead of the United States in African markets. “However, we did identify areas of common interest and it has emerged very clearly that infrastructure, expanding the scope of agriculture, energy, human resource development and healthcare seem to be the areas in which there is immediate possibility of cooperation with African countries and Indian businesses”.
“Cooperation in Trade, Technology and Capacity Building form the basis of our relationship”, she said.
Among the leaders being expected is President Muhammadu Buhari, who is expected to present the position of the West Africa sub-region at the summit.
That is why, he said, India advocates reforms in global political, economic and security institutions.
It reviewed the progress in the implementation of commitments of earlier meetings as well as of existing trade and business relations.
“I made a reference on sub-regional groupings in Africa”.
A group of countries, that include developed nations such as the United States, the European Union and New Zealand, are in favour of getting an agreement on a handful of issues at Nairobi and then concluding the Doha round. Delegations from India and African counties discussed on the Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme, Services Waiver for LDCs and Cotton Technical Assistance Programme (TAP).
“Till now as per the information that we have received, 40 countries will be represented by the head of state, head of government level, and the rest are being represented by senior ministers”, he said, adding the summit was attracting the attention of the entire world.
The Round Table on WTO issues was also held during the meeting.
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In one of the biggest diplomatic jamborees of this year, India will be hosting the third India-Africa Summit next week.
