The Hindu Business Line : ‘Scope for tie-ups with Africa in farm, food processing’

New Delhi, March 19 India is keen to forge a robust, effective and mutually beneficial relationship with Africa and its strategic global engagements depend much on its strong relations with that continent, the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, said here today.

Addressing the fourth CII-EXIM Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership 2008, he said, “India keenly anticipates a deeper and closer engagement with Africa and is eager to work together for greater mutual prosperity. India needs to expand and diversify the import basket from the continent.”

He said cooperation in sectors such as agriculture and food processing will be significant as the two sides are prone to food shortages, lack of diversification in crops, and low agricultural productivity.

Mr Kamal Nath hoped that the conclave will set the stage for bilateral and multilateral trade agreements between India and countries as well as regional blocks like SACU, COMESA, SADC, EAC in Africa.

Summit next month

With a view to further strengthening the relationship, the first India-Africa summit will be held here next month.

India’s exports to Africa during 2006-07 stood at $8.4 billion, while imports aggregated $11.4 billion, having almost doubled since the preceding year. Exports to Africa are regionally diversified with East, Southern and West Africa accounting for $2.5-3 billion each.

Project partnership

“Project partnership is a key in this effort. It will help strengthen local skill resources, expand infrastructure availability and lay the foundation for strong and sustainable economic co-operation between India and Africa. Our mutual goals of poverty alleviation, human development and economic growth can be addressed in part through project partnerships”, he said.

Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, Vice-President of the Republic of Tanzania, delivered the special address. The conclave was also attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, representatives from Exim Bank of India, Confederation of Indian Industry and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The three-day conclave will be attended by ministers from Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, Cote D’Ivoire, D.R. Congo, Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Botswana ties

The Commerce Minister earlier had bilateral meetings with the Botswana Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Daniel Neo Moroka; Mr Ivohasina Razafimahefa, Minister of Economy, Commerce and Industry of Madagascar; and Mr Felix C Mutati, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Zambia.

The Botswana Minister said that the quantity of trade between India and Botswana was not very significant, there has been steady growth in services sector. Exports from Botswana during 2005-06 and 2006-07 were $10.78 million and $10.87 million respectively and engineering goods and textiles are the main products.

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