Time to forge new relations with Africa at Indo-Africa summit

India is on the doorstep of redefining its relationship with the African continents by increasing engagements with the 54-nation particularly in economic field at the India-Africa Forum summit scheduled to be held from April 4-8 here.

Through the summit, India is moving to consolidate its smaller, but growing presence on the continent as only 14-African nation will participate in the summit in comparison to the 48 African countries that had joined the summit in Beijing in November 2006.

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Recognising the immense opportunities for cooperation with Africa, India is likely to announce duty cuts for certain imports from Africa and assistance in developmental projects. As per the official sources, the core of the discussion will be how India and Africa can develop partnership in the first part of 21st century.

“We don’t want our approach tainted by the West approach. We’ll talk about Africa to Africans; we will talk to Brazil about Africa but not to these countries. We should not be seen as exploiters in Africa. We want to be partners in the genuine sense of the word,” said a senior official of the External Affairs Ministry.

While 48 African nations had participated in Beijing summit, only 14 are going to be a part of the Delhi summit. But these countries will have the mandate of the entire continent as they have been chosen by the African Union itself.

However, the significance does not lie in number; in fact it lays in the opinion that Africans hold themselves and who are eager to balance China’s overwhelming and aggressive moves in their continent with India’s gentle touch.

The Beijing summit produced wave of growing concerns for the western countries that realised grip over Africa has been steadily slipping into Chinese hands.

The Beijing summit had culminated into the commercial deals worth $1.9 billion with the African countries and eventually China offered credit lines worth $5 billion. It also declared that it would double aid to Africa by 2009 and pledged to push trade to the USD 100 billion mark by 2010.

Comparatively, India is a rather nervous investor in Africa in all sectors comprising petroleum. Over the past few years, China has managed to edge India out of many contracts. That must change. Indian companies must overcome its fear and lethargic way of dealing trade with foreign countries. They must go forward and forge aggressive step in their engagement with African nations for mutual advantage.

Very few countries in Africa are moving forward with development. Rest of the African countries has been sluggish in mobilizing private sector participation in infrastructure development.

What is significant here is Africa’s development can be accelerated with investments and technology transfer. It has plenty of natural resources comprising crude oil and minerals and the closer relations with the African continents will be proved beneficial for both the nations-India and Africa.

Africa’s demand for manufactured goods and services is on the elevated scale. The region also has millions of young literate and talented people who can be employed in the manufacturing and services sector.

As per the official sources, an Action Plan for furthering cooperation in areas like environment, health, education, energy and mining will be announced at the Summit, which could form a precursor for broader India-Africa Summit.

India has been having low-profile engagement with Africa for the last six decades mainly in terms of assistance in developmental projects and peacekeeping operations. Now the apt time has arrived for the country to grow financial relations with the African countries and Indian companies need to expand their presence overseas, step up and diversify trade with Africa.