H.E Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam, Ambassador of Eritrea and Dean of African Heads of Missions
It is my pleasure to be here for this important Africa Day roundtable dialogue on India-Africa Partnership in a Changing World.
Indeed, Prime Minister Modi and his entire government have worked tirelessly and unprecedentedly to strengthen partnerships between India and Africa. The Prime Minister and other top Indian leaders including the President and Vice President’s visits to different African countries over the last five years are a clear testimony to this growing partnership.
The partnership between India and Africa is rooted in their shared historical experience dating back to the fight against apartheid and colonisation as well as many other shared battles in peace keeping missions and in the non-aligned movement as well as in the UN General Assembly. Recent initiatives by the Indian government such as the International Solar Alliance and the government decision to open more Embassies and High Commissions in different African countries have brought India and African countries much closer in partnership than ever before.
The India Africa Forum Summit has served to shape the partnership between these two blocks in an unprecedented way and in a mutually beneficial manner. The mechanism is one of the first ever South – South cooperation platforms for the leaders of the two blocks to chart their future together regarding cooperation in important sectors.
The commitments under the India Africa Forum Summit and their implementation in different African countries in form of Lines of Credits for financing several projects or grants in institutional establishment and capacity building programs have played an important role in the socio- economic transformation of the many African countries.
The India-Africa partnership has grown exponentially in the last decade. India is Africa’s fourth largest trading partner with over 21 per cent of Indian foreign investment directed to the continent between 2008 and 2016; and no doubt the figure has even grown much bigger today.
The Indian Diaspora is growing on the African continent and its contribution to economic development to their second homes is commendable.
Africa Rising
We are gathered here to reflect and discuss openly on the strategic partnership that India and African Nations has forged over the years, this in the current global context characterised by uncertainty, rising instability in some parts of the world and temptations of many in the developed world to turn to inward looking protectionist policies.
The good news is Africa is rising. This is not a perception anymore. It is becoming a reality. On 30 May 2019, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement will enter into force. The Agreement is an important step towards removing the fragmentation of African economies and markets, creating a large market that is critical to increasing trade and investments on the continent.
The consolidation and integration of the continent is indeed progressing at a satisfying speed in the recent years. The institutional reforms of the African Union launched in 2016 also signalled the determination of African leaders to reposition the Union and ensure it has the requisite institutional capacity and capabilities given the evolving economic, political, and social needs of the continent. The African Union is geared towards increasing its relevance to citizens, political and operational effectiveness as well as sustainable financing, with the view of reinforcing Africa’s Global voice. Today’s dialogue is therefore timely.
Vistas of Cooperation
Our world is confronted with global challenges that require closer international collaboration: climate change, terrorism, migration crisis, cyber security and the pledge we all made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This obliges us to rethink our partnership and give it the impetus needed to confront together these challenges with renewed confidence that desire objectives will be achieved.
The roundtable dialogue we will have today with your valuable contributions will provide conceptual and pragmatic guidelines which should drive India-Africa partnership to greater height.
Opening Remarks
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H.E Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam, Ambassador of Eritrea and Dean of African Heads of Missions
It is my pleasure to be here for this important Africa Day roundtable dialogue on India-Africa Partnership in a Changing World.
Indeed, Prime Minister Modi and his entire government have worked tirelessly and unprecedentedly to strengthen partnerships between India and Africa. The Prime Minister and other top Indian leaders including the President and Vice President’s visits to different African countries over the last five years are a clear testimony to this growing partnership.
The partnership between India and Africa is rooted in their shared historical experience dating back to the fight against apartheid and colonisation as well as many other shared battles in peace keeping missions and in the non-aligned movement as well as in the UN General Assembly. Recent initiatives by the Indian government such as the International Solar Alliance and the government decision to open more Embassies and High Commissions in different African countries have brought India and African countries much closer in partnership than ever before.
The India Africa Forum Summit has served to shape the partnership between these two blocks in an unprecedented way and in a mutually beneficial manner. The mechanism is one of the first ever South – South cooperation platforms for the leaders of the two blocks to chart their future together regarding cooperation in important sectors.
The commitments under the India Africa Forum Summit and their implementation in different African countries in form of Lines of Credits for financing several projects or grants in institutional establishment and capacity building programs have played an important role in the socio- economic transformation of the many African countries.
The India-Africa partnership has grown exponentially in the last decade. India is Africa’s fourth largest trading partner with over 21 per cent of Indian foreign investment directed to the continent between 2008 and 2016; and no doubt the figure has even grown much bigger today.
The Indian Diaspora is growing on the African continent and its contribution to economic development to their second homes is commendable.
Africa Rising
We are gathered here to reflect and discuss openly on the strategic partnership that India and African Nations has forged over the years, this in the current global context characterised by uncertainty, rising instability in some parts of the world and temptations of many in the developed world to turn to inward looking protectionist policies.
The good news is Africa is rising. This is not a perception anymore. It is becoming a reality. On 30 May 2019, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement will enter into force. The Agreement is an important step towards removing the fragmentation of African economies and markets, creating a large market that is critical to increasing trade and investments on the continent.
The consolidation and integration of the continent is indeed progressing at a satisfying speed in the recent years. The institutional reforms of the African Union launched in 2016 also signalled the determination of African leaders to reposition the Union and ensure it has the requisite institutional capacity and capabilities given the evolving economic, political, and social needs of the continent. The African Union is geared towards increasing its relevance to citizens, political and operational effectiveness as well as sustainable financing, with the view of reinforcing Africa’s Global voice. Today’s dialogue is therefore timely.
Vistas of Cooperation
Our world is confronted with global challenges that require closer international collaboration: climate change, terrorism, migration crisis, cyber security and the pledge we all made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This obliges us to rethink our partnership and give it the impetus needed to confront together these challenges with renewed confidence that desire objectives will be achieved.
The roundtable dialogue we will have today with your valuable contributions will provide conceptual and pragmatic guidelines which should drive India-Africa partnership to greater height.
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