29 October 2015

Modi says Africa, India both areas of economic opportunity

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, left and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talk as they stand for a group photo during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described India and Africa as bright spots of hope and economic opportunity and offered technology and credit in an effort to match rival China's influence over the continent at a summit with more than 40 African leaders Thursday.
As Modi opened the meeting in the Indian capital, he said Africa was now more settled and stable and "its initiatives are replacing old fault lines with new bridges of reforms and economic integration."

Modi said in less than a decade India's trade with Africa has topped $70 billion and that the continent is a major destination for Indian business investment.
India has committed $7.4 billion in low-interest credits and $1.2 billion in grants since the first India-Africa Summit in 2008. It is developing infrastructure, public transport, clean energy, irrigation, agriculture and manufacturing capacity across Africa, he said.
African energy helps fuel the Indian economy and African prosperity offers a growing market for Indian products, he said.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI, foreground and left, talks with Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.

In exchange, India hopes for a share of Africa's vast natural resources to power its own growth. It also wants to ensure it is not completely overshadowed on the continent by China, which has plowed billions of dollars into Africa, building roads, bridges and power installations in return for access to markets and resources.
India's major imports from Africa are resources and minerals, including crude oil, coal, gemstones and gold. African countries are a big market for Indian-made pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles and processed petroleum products, with trade growing quickly.
Modi shared Africa's concern for security, especially from terrorism and extremism, and said he had confidence that African leaders and people would rise to those challenges.
Several countries, including Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Benin, sought Indian assistance in dealing with Islamic extremism.
Rwanda's Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi arrives for the India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi for a summit to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.

They want India to help build their defense capacity so the military forces that are now fighting Boko Haram can be strengthened, said Sanjiv Kohli, an Indian External Affairs Ministry official.
India has promised to help train soldiers in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency tactics, Kohli said.
Modi regretted that India had not done as well as African nations wanted at times. "There are commitments we have not fulfilled as quickly as we should have," he said.
"We will raise the level of our support for your vision of a prosperous, integrated and united Africa that is a major partner for the world," he said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi speaks during the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe thanked India for its development work in Africa, but said there should be a "robust evaluation and follow up mechanism as some of the projects have been delayed."
"These are gifts highly appreciated by us. These do not come from those who have robbed us of our humanity," said Mugabe, who addressed the summit as chairman of the African Union.  
(AP) 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, third right, talks to African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as other African leaders interact after a group photograph at the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, third right, talks to African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as other African leaders interact after a group photograph at the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.  
Members of Indian Border Security Force band atop decorated camels perform as heads of states arrive for the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.
Members of Indian Border Security Force band atop decorated camels perform as heads of states arrive for the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.           
Standing bottom second left to right, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou, Sierra Leone's President Bai Koroma, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir,Lesotho's Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, President of Senegal Macky Sall, Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz,Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Swaziland's King Mswati III, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Benin President Boni Yayi, Guinea's President Alpha Condé, President of Comoros Ikililou Dhoinine, President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina of Madagascar, and standing top, left to right, are Central African Republic Ambasdor and Economic Advisor Julienne Desiree Gaudeuille, Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Cameroon's President Paul Biya, Tunisian foreign minister Taieb Baccouche, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rwanda's prime minister Anastase Murekezi, Zambia's Vice President Inonge Wina, Angola's Vice-President Manuel Domingos Vicente, Tanzanian deputy President Mohamed Gharib Bilal, Mauritius' Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Guinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz, Congo's Foreign Minister Raymond Tshibanda, Vice President of Botswana Eric Keabetswe Masisi, Angola's Vice-President Manuel Domingos Vicente, Vice-President of Gambia Isatou Njie-Saidy, Prime Minister of Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosario, Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe Patrice Emery Trovoada
Standing bottom second left to right, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou, Sierra Leone's President Bai Koroma, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir,Lesotho's Prime Minister Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, President of Senegal Macky Sall, Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz,Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Swaziland's King Mswati III, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Benin President Boni Yayi, Guinea's President Alpha Condé, President of Comoros Ikililou Dhoinine, President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina of Madagascar, and standing top, left to right, are Central African Republic Ambasdor and Economic Advisor Julienne Desiree Gaudeuille, Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Cameroon's President Paul Biya, Tunisian foreign minister Taieb Baccouche, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rwanda's prime minister Anastase Murekezi, Zambia's Vice President Inonge Wina, Angola's Vice-President Manuel Domingos Vicente, Tanzanian deputy President Mohamed Gharib Bilal, Mauritius' Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Guinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz, Congo's Foreign Minister Raymond Tshibanda, Vice President of Botswana Eric Keabetswe Masisi, Angola's Vice-President Manuel Domingos Vicente, Vice-President of Gambia Isatou Njie-Saidy, Prime Minister of Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosario, Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe Patrice Emery Trovoada                             
Standing bottom left to right are Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Swaziland's King Mswati III, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma along with other leaders of African nations during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.
Standing bottom left to right are Chad President Idriss Deby Itno, Swaziland's King Mswati III, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma along with other leaders of African nations during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.                              
South African President Jacob Zuma speaks during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.
South African President Jacob Zuma speaks during the India Africa Forum Summit at the Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. More than 40 African leaders are in New Delhi to attend the IAFS 2015, preceded by meetings of trade and foreign ministers from nearly all 54 African nations, to explore how Indian investment and technology can help a resurgent Africa face its development challenges.