India, Africa launch action plan to boost cooperation
March 10th, 2010 - 4:42 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Two years after their first summit, India and Africa Wednesday launched an action plan that includes closer cooperation in agriculture and setting up of new training institutes by New Delhi in areas ranging from foreign trade to education and IT.
The plan was launched at a formal ceremony attended by the 15-member delegation of the African Union Commission and a 42-member Indian team representing the external affairs ministry and industry bodies.
The plan, which will implement key decisions of the first India-Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi in 2008, outlines a detailed strategy for accelerating bilateral engagement for the next four years.
The plan will impart greater vigour and momentum to India’s engagement with Africa, said Vivek Katju, secretary in the external affairs ministry.
“It’s a partnership based on concrete development projects. Africa welcomes this partnership and is ready to play its role,” said Jacques-Alfred Ndoumbe-Eboule, Cameroon’s permanent representative to the 53-nation African Union and chairman of its multilateral affairs sub-committee.
“It’s a blueprint for partnership to promote sustainable development. We hope the action plan will create better market access for African products,” said John Kayode Shinkaiye, chief of staff at the African Union Commission, headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Closer cooperation in agriculture and food security tops the action plan. India will provide 25 PhD and 50 Masters scholarships annually for four years to African students in Indian universities and institutions to enhance agricultural education, science and research.
With both sides determined to scale up their bilateral trade to $70 billion by 2015, India will establish an India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade that will provide professional education in the field of international trade and management, including studies on the public and private sectors in Africa.
The action plan focuses on development-centric partnership between India and Africa. It includes setting up a slew of training institutes by India in areas of diamond polishing, IT, vocational education and Pan-African Stock Exchange.
- India, Africa unveil action plan to boost ties (Lead) - Mar 10, 2010
- Manmohan kicks off week of high-wire Africa diplomacy - May 22, 2011
- India to build 100 institutions in Africa for human development - Mar 19, 2012
- India to set up 19 training institutes in Africa - Dec 10, 2010
- Ethiopia to host second India-Africa summit - Feb 21, 2011
- India can help transform Africa through education: AU official - Nov 22, 2010
- India pitches for greater development ties with Africa - Mar 19, 2012
- On Africa Day, India pledges $5.7 billion, gets UN seat support (Roundup) - May 25, 2011
- As China-built AU centre opens, India focuses on quiet Africa diplomacy (With images) - Jan 30, 2012
- India unveils $5 bn Africa surge, rejects race with China (Second Lead) - May 24, 2011
- PM to go on Africa tour Monday, terms summit a 'landmark' event (Lead) - May 23, 2011
- Charm Africa: Manmohan heads to Ethiopia, Tanzania next week (Lead) - May 17, 2011
- Africa figures prominently on India's foreign policy radar, says Krishna - Mar 29, 2011
- Ahead of Africa summit, India says West pitting it against China (Lead) - May 23, 2011
- India, Africa discuss setting up of 80 training institutions - Oct 12, 2011
Tags: acti, addis ababa, africa forum, africa institute, african students, agricultural education, bilateral trade, education science, external affairs ministry, formal ceremony, indian universities, industry bodies, kayode, market access, member delegation, multilateral affairs, ndoumbe, public and private sectors, summit india, training institutes