PM Narendra Modi charts out 10 principles of India's African reach-out

Stating that India has deepened its partnership and engagement across the vast expanse of Africa Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday charted out 10 principles of his countrys engagement with African nationsIndia is proud to be Africas partner Modi said while addressing the Ugandan Parliament the first ever by an Indian Prime MinisterAnd Uganda is central to our commitment to the continent he saidHe assured Indias continued support to Uganda in the fields of agriculture and healthcare education and training infrastructure and energy capacity building in government and training in defenceAs with Uganda we have deepened our partnership and engagement across the vast expanse of Africa Modi statedIn the past four years our President Vice President and I have collectively visited no less than 25 countries in Africa Our Ministers have covered virtually all African nationsThe Prime Minister also said that as many as 32 heads of state or government from African countries visited India in the last four yearsIndias engagement with Africa will continue to be guided by 10 principles Modi stated in the presence of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in the House One Africa will be at the top of our priorities he saidWe will continue to intensify and deepen our engagement with Africa As we have shown it will be sustained and regularSecondly Modi said Indias development partnership will be guided by Africas priorities and by relying on African talent and skillsThree we will keep our markets open and make it easier and more attractive to trade with India he saidWe will support our industry to invest in AfricaThe fourth principle the Prime Minister said will be to harness Indias experience with digital revolution to support Africas development improve delivery of public services extend education and health spread digital literacy expand financial inclusion and mainstream the marginalisedFive Africa has 60 per cent of the worlds arable land but produces just 10 per cent of the global output he saidWe will work with you to improve Africas agricultureThe sixth principle Modi said is the IndiaAfrica partnership addressing the challenges of climate changeWe will work with Africa to ensure a just international climate order to preserve our biodiversity and adopt clean and efficient energy sources he saidSeventh he said both sides will strengthen cooperation and mutual capabilities in combating terrorism and extremism keeping cyberspace safe and secure and supporting the UN in advancing and keeping peaceEight we will work with African nations to keep the oceans open and free for the benefit of all nations Modi statedThe world needs cooperation and not competition in the eastern shores of Africa and the eastern Indian Ocean he said reflecting Indias vision of a free and inclusive Indo Ocean regionAs the ninth principle the Prime Minister called for both sides to work together to ensure that Africa does not once again turn into a theatre of rival ambitions but becomes a nursery for the aspirations of Africas youthTen just as India and Africa fought colonial rule together we will work together for a just representative and democratic global order that has a voice and a role for onethird of humanity that lives in Africa and India he statedModi also highlighted Indias development partnership with Africa which currently includes implementation of 180 lines of credit worth about 11 billion in over 40 African countriesAt the last India Africa Forum Summit we had committed a concessional line of credit of 10 billion and 600 million in grant assistance he saidHe also mentioned IndiaAfrica trade figure which is now over 62 billion 21 per cent more than the previous yearAddressing the gathering ahead of Modis speech President Yoseveni said that with economic integration Africa will become an economic powerhouse in the worldHe also described India as among the reliable partners of AfricaEarlier in the day Modi participated in the IndiaUganda Business Forum during which he said that India is willing to address the current trade imbalance with UgandaModi arrived here on Tuesday from Rwanda on the second leg of his fiveday threenation tour of Africa that will also take him to South AfricaThis is the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Uganda in over 20 yearsFor Modi this is his second visit to this East African nation after his visit in 2007 as Gujarat Chief MinisterCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Except for the change in the headline the story has been provided ASIS AS AVAILABLE without any verification or editing from our side Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever