|
Round The World
India-Africa Summit
WOOING AFRICANS, COUNTERING CHINA
By Dr. Monika Chansoria
(Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi)
New Delhi, April 21, 2008
India played host to the maiden and landmark two-day
India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi this April 8-9, with a
call for an increase in tangible measures to forge closer
economic engagement and political representation between the
two countries.
The Summit inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had
critical significance as it was viewed clearly as an effort by
India to build systemic ties with the African continent.
Particularly at a time when the burgeoning Indian economy is
losing no opportunity at building contemporary partnerships in
vital arenas such as trade, investment and energy ties.
As a matter of fact, India and Africa have shared a notable
relationship in the past decades, which ultimately grew into a
sustainable partnership. The sentiment was deftly displayed in
a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs ahead
of the Summit. It read: “From our struggle against colonialism
and apartheid, we have emerged to jointly accept the
challenges of a globalizing world. Whether we have to deal
with threats to international peace and security,
international terrorism or the scourge of poverty, we believe
that India and Africa traverse the same path, share the same
values and cherish the same dreams.”
“We have a vision for a partnership with Africa for the 21st
century. This vision will take us beyond our strong bilateral
relationships, our close ties with regional economic
communities and develop a new paradigm of cooperation which
will take into account Africa’s own aspirations for
pan-African institutions and development programmes,” the
statement added.
Amidst this backdrop, Manmohan Singh made decisive
announcements as he addressed the visiting leaders of 14
African nations. The conference shed light on significant
areas including technology, agriculture, human resources and
energy ties.
Many African countries that have had long-standing ties with
India attended the meet. These included Nigeria, India’s
second largest source of imported crude petroleum, South
Africa, the fourth-largest source for India’s gold imports,
and Morocco and Senegal, that are leading sources of India’s
global imports of inorganic chemicals, along with Kenya,
Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana and Algeria.
In his inaugural address, Manmohan Singh called for turning
the 21st century into a ‘century of Asia and Africa’ and
described Africa as the “land of awakening”. Furthermore, he
showered a number of munificent incentives such as a pledge
that India would double financial credit to African countries
and regional economic groups to $ 5.4 billion in the next five
years.
Crucially, the Prime Minister also promised to provide more
than $ 500 million over the next five years in grants for
development projects in the areas of railways, information
technology, telecom, and power in Africa. This in fact, is a
testament to India’s commitment for overall development and
progress so as to see Africa find its rightful place in the
world.
“The objective of our partnership is to cooperate with all the
countries of Africa, within the limits of our capacities and
capabilities, in the efforts towards achieving economic
vibrancy, peace, stability and self-reliance. Towards this
end, it is our intention to become a close partner in Africa’s
resurgence,” he stressed.
In addition, India would also allow duty-free imports and
provide preferential market access for exports from all the 50
least-developed countries, with as many as 34 from the African
continent. Products covered by the plan include aluminum and
copper ore, cotton, cocoa, ready-made garments, non-industrial
diamonds, cashew nuts and cane sugar.
Importantly, the two-way trade between India and the African
continent has increased by 285 per cent and totals about $ 30
billion a year. Consequently, this has raised Africa’s share
in India’s global trade from 5.8 per cent in 2002-03 to nearly
8 per cent in 2006-07.
African Union Commission (AU) Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare,
representing the AU at the Summit earmarked “infrastructure,
health, education, science and food security were areas where
we want Indian know-how.” He also urged Africa to shed its
image of being a ‘mere market for raw materials, purchased at
low prices.’
The Summit adopted two documents, the Delhi Declaration and
the Africa-India Framework for Cooperation, with a sincere aim
to augment the “true partnership” to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. The former covers issues of bilateral,
regional and international interest to India and Africa,
including their common positions on UN reforms, climate
change, WTO and anti-terrorism measures.
At the same time, India saw it as an opportune moment at
deriving political benefits, by seeking crucial African
support at its bid to stake claim for permanent membership of
UN Security Council. This political move is an apparent
measure by New Delhi to match its growing economic clout in
Asia and beyond.
India and African countries agreed to “further strengthen
cooperation towards revitalizing and enhancing the role of the
General Assembly and reform and expansion of the Security
Council. Africa takes note of India’s position and its
aspirations to become a permanent member with full rights in
an expanded UN Security Council”, the Framework for
Cooperation stated.
Notwithstanding the above, India’s hosting this Summit appears
as an attempt to shore up its presence in the continent and
counter the mounting Chinese influence in the region.
Apparently, Beijing often has been touted as New Delhi’s
economic competitor and has already invested billions of
dollars in Africa when it hosted a similar Summit in November
2006 that brought together leaders from as many as 48 African
nations.
Incidentally, China’s involvement in Africa is driven by both
oil and diplomacy. Today, imports account for 40 per cent of
China’s oil consumption and are expected to reach 60 per cent
by 2020. In response, Chinese oil companies have embarked upon
a global search for new suppliers. In Africa, they have found
them in nations such as Angola, Chad, Congo, Libya and the
Central African Republics.
China became the world’s second-largest consumer of petroleum
products with its imports of natural gas, copper, cobalt and
other key sources rising by as much as 20 per cent annually.
This search for resources takes China to commodity-rich Africa
that is home to major oil producers, including Nigeria, Sudan,
Angola and Gabon.
Chinese interest in the African continent amply illustrates
that its galloping economy is spurring Beijing to make every
possible attempt to deepen its African ties and adopt a higher
global profile.
Albeit in case of India and Africa, both regions are looking
for opportunities to invest in each other’s nations, with New
Delhi especially keen to gain access to African oil. It is
estimated that Africa has $ 30 billion worth of untapped oil
and gas assets.
This Summit noticeably exhibits India’s desire at making an
attempt towards balancing the growing influence of China in
Africa, while simultaneously exhibiting political influence
and economic clout far from its borders in Asia and beyond.—INFA
(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)
E-Mail :
newseditor@sarkaritel.com |
