MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)
(a) to (f) A statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (F) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.154 REGARDING
`PM`S VISIT TO AFRICA` FOR ANSWER ON 10.08.2011
Prime Minister visited Ethiopia in May 2011 to attend the Second India Africa Forum Summit and for
a bilateral visit to Ethiopia. He also visited Tanzania on a bilateral visit. Prime Minister led
the Indian delegation to the Second Africa India Forum Summit in Addis Ababa from 24-25 May 2011.
The participation of African countries in the Summit was in accordance with the Banjul format
adopted by the African Union for Africa’s participation in such Summits. Accordingly 15 African
countries participated in the Summit. These were Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Swaziland, Namibia, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and Libya.
Prime Minister and the President of Equatorial Guinea (in his capacity as Chairperson of the African
Union) co-Chaired the Summit. The theme of the Summit was “Enhanced Partnership and Shared Vision.â€
Two documents, the Addis Ababa Declaration and the Africa India Framework for Enhanced Cooperation
were adopted at the end of the Summit. This summit built upon the foundations of the historical
relationship that exists between India and Africa, and further contributed to designing the
structure of an enhanced engagement between India and our African partners, in the 21st century.
At the Summit, the Prime Minister announced many new initiatives to further strengthen our cooperation
with Africa. He made several announcements for the next three years, including the availability of Lines
of Credit of US$5 billion; more than 22,000 scholarships to Africa over the period of next three years;
and the establishment of more than 80 capacity building institutions in Africa. The proposed institutions
include India-Africa Food Processing Cluster, India-Africa Integrated Textiles Cluster, India-Africa Centre
for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development.
India’s partnership with African countries is being significantly strengthened through a three tiered
interaction which comprises engagement at the continental, regional and bilateral levels. The 2011
Summit carried forward the positive momentum generated by the First India Africa Forum Summit held
in New Delhi in April 2008.
Prime Minister also had a bilateral visit to Ethiopia from 25-26 May 2011. This was the first ever visit by
any Indian Prime Minister to Ethiopia. During the visit, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and Agreement
for Cooperation in Small and Medium Enterprises were signed with Ethiopia. Prime Minister paid a state visit
to Tanzania from 26-28 May 2011. During this visit three Agreements/MOUs were signed: Agreement on Avoidance
of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion; Joint Action Plan between NSIC India and Small Industries
Development Organization (SIDO), Tanzania; and between Apollo Group and Health Ministry of Tanzania for the
setting up of a super specialty hospital in Tanzania.
Prime Minister’s visit to Africa contributed towards renewing India-Africa cooperation and taking our
multifaceted partnership forward in a comprehensive manner. While taking note of the presence in Africa
of other countries, including China, India’s interaction with African countries is not based on or influenced
by competition with any other country. It is rooted in the tradition of a common struggle against colonialism
and apartheid and in South-South Cooperation.
