SPEECHES / STATEMENTS 

PM’s Opening Remarks at the Joint Press Interaction

April 9, 2008, New Delhi

“We have just concluded the First India-Africa Forum Summit. This is a historic Summit between India and countries representing the AU and the Regional Economic Communities of Africa. Over the last two days we have held extremely substantive and productive discussions on all issues which confront India and Africa. The Summit was held in an atmosphere of great friendship, warmth and sense of partnership.

The Summit has adopted the Delhi Declaration and the Africa-India Framework for Cooperation. These documents constitute the blueprint for our cooperation in the 21st Century.

Our decision to expand unilateral duty free and preferential market access for exports from all the 50 Least Developed Countries, 34 of which are in Africa, and our offer of lines of credit amounting to $5.4 billion are steps in this direction. The enhancement of our budget for technical assistance and training programmes and, greater opportunities for African students to pursue studies in India reflect the priority we attach to human resource development and capacity building.

In the Retreat yesterday, we had a very constructive discussion on issues such as food and energy security, UN reforms, climate change and trade. We found several commonalities in the challenges that face us and in our aspirations. I offered Indian assistance in ushering in a Green Revolution in Africa through holistic capacity building in agricultural production, storage and transportation.

While we have met over these two days at the government level we have also undertaken several outreach events before or concurrent with the Summit. These are: (i) the first ever India-Africa Editors Conference; (ii) joint performances by Indian and African cultural troupes; (iii) a seminar of intellectuals from Africa and India on India-Africa Partnership in the 21st century; (iv) a programme for youth and women from Africa and (v) a business conclave.

India has also begun to develop cooperation with the Regional Economic Communities of Africa and with the African Union (AU). India’s pan-African e-network project is an example of our cooperation at the continent wide level.

We have laid firm foundations on which to build the new framework of cooperation. It is now time to plan ahead to implement the joint programmes of cooperation and to build a meaningful and productive Indo-African partnership. India looks forward to doing so with all the resources at our disposal.

We greatly cherish the friendship and empathy that Africa has always shown to India. This is an asset to our foreign policy. We in turn hope that this Summit has enabled us to convey to the people of Africa India’s readiness to be a partner in their quest for stability, peace and prosperity.

I would like to conclude by thanking my colleagues from Africa for their active participation in the Summit and for their whole-hearted endorsement for a stronger and deeper India-Africa partnership.”