MEA Jaishankar says Africa's rise is 'desirable & necessary' for India

Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday, September 22 said that Africa’s development is fundamental to India’s foreign policy and the latter’s rise as one of the global system’s poles is both desirable and necessary. While speaking at the 15th CII-Exim Bank digital conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted that India is Africa's third-largest destination for exports with a cumulative investment of nearly $54 billion making it one of the biggest investors in the entire continent. 

"For India, Africa's rise as one of the global system's poles is not just desirable, it is absolutely necessary. In fact, it is fundamental to our foreign policy thinking," Jaishankar

He further said, "India is Africa's third-largest export destination. With a cumulative investment of USD 54 billion, it is also one of the biggest investors in the continent."

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Jaishankar on COVID-19 pandemic

In the same address, Jaishankar also talked about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact. According to him, the repercussions of the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak will be far-reaching and will end up defining the global order in a similar manner that de-colonisation did in the 1950s and 1960s. The Minister of External Affairs also mentioned India’s journey in digital development that has been the driving force to a range of benefits such as the delivery of education, healthcare among other things. He then noted that Africa could also use the same for its nation’s journey to enhancement. 

He also talked about e-Vidya Bharati and e-Arogya Bharati through which the top Indian educational institutions and hospitals had been linked with 16 African countries to offer e-education and telemedicine services. Spreading more light on the fruitful India-Africa relationship, Jaishankar informed how the investments from India have created jobs and several other opportunities in African countries in areas including mining, energy, banking, textiles and other sectors. He specifically also mentioned the Indian energy investment of nearly $7 billion in a gas field in Mozambique and other investments in South Sudan, north and west Africa.

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Inputs: ANI

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