On September 22-24, 2020, the 15th CII-Exim Bank Digital Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership was held virtually from New Delhi which was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and EXIM (Export-Import) Bank with the support of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Commerce and Industry,Government of India. It was initiated in 2005.
- The focus areas identified for this edition were Agriculture, Power and Energy, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education & Skill Development among others amid COVID-19.
- The conclave was attended by Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA); Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Uday Kotak, President, Confederation of Indian Industry; David Rasquinha, Managing Director, Exim Bank of India, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry among others.
India’s commitment to Africa is defined by four pillars:
1. Our developmental partnership
2. Trade and investment
3. Strong people-to-people ties, particularly in areas like education and capacity building for young Africans, and
4. Most recently, defence and maritime security
How India is helping African Continent?
Fund Provided and allocated:-
–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.
–India has executed 194 developmental projects in 37 African countries and is currently working to complete 77 more projects in 29 countries in the continent, with a total outlay of USD 11.6 billion.
–Around 150 tons of medical aid worth nearly USD 10 million has been, or is in the course of being, delivered to the continent of Africa.
–Grants in aid worth more than USD 700 million have been extended to African partner countries for projects in infrastructure, connectivity, skill development, security and health sectors.
Other key points:-
— India provides tele education and telephone medical services to 16 African countries by connecting primary education institutions and hospitals through e-Vidya Bharati and e-Health Bharati.
-Over the last five years, India’s top leaders have made 34 visits to African nations, and India had hosted nearly 100 African leaders for diverse bilateral and multilateral engagements.
–India has provided medical aid to 85 nations worldwide, of which 25 countries are in Africa, in the form of supplies of essential drugs, including hydroxychloroquine or HCQ and 16 other essential drugs including life-saving antibiotics.
Recent Related News:
i.On 30th July 2020, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the National Digital Conference on “Easing Doing Business for Atmanirbhar Bharat” organised by the CII with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to improve the business environment of India.
ii.On July 21, 2020, HIL (formerly Hindustan Insecticides Limited), a PSU under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has supplied 20.60 Metric tonne of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) 75 % Wettable powder (WP) to South Africa for their Malaria control program in three province adjoining Mozambique.
About South Africa:
Capitals– Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency– South African rand
President– Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
