The Hindu : Karnataka News : Indo-Africa forum proposed

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Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008
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Indo-Africa forum proposed

Special Correspondent

Goa-Mozambique partnership also to be strengthened

PANAJI: High Commissioner of Republic of Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosario proposed creation of Indo-Africa fora at political, technical, media and academic levels with a forum for Goa-Mozambique association as a means to strengthen the Indo-Africa partnership.

Mr. Rosario was addressing a conference, Building bridges with Africa: Indo-Africa relations and the role of people of Indian Origin in Africa, organised by the Goa Commissioner for NRI Affairs here on Saturday.

The conference sought to integrate Africa’s vast economic resources and India’s sustained economic development into a strong collaboration.

After inaugurating the conference, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat suggested that an apex organisation be formed to keep in touch with all Goan associations outside the State and felt that expatriates required a “touch from us” to remind them of their roots.

Commissioner for NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro, High Commissioner of Mauritius in India M. Choonnee, Chief Secretary J.P. Singh were present.

Earlier, Mr. Faleiro, former External Affairs Minister, said that relations between India and Africa spanned thousands of years and Indians had been migrating to Africa and Africans to India over several centuries.

“This meeting comes after the first Indo-African Summit held in New Delhi in April last and provided a new dimension to Indo-African cooperation and a concrete plan of action,” he said.

The 21st century, according to Mr. Faleiro, would certainly be the “Century of Asia and Africa” with the people of the two continents working together to promote inclusive globalisation and more equitable global economy and polity.

Mr. Faleiro also announced that he would strive to form the Indo-African Forum as proposed by Mr. do Rosario and said that he would take it up with the Union Ministry of External Affairs.

Mr. do Rosario, who is also the Dean of the African diplomatic corps in New Delhi, said India and Africa together had over half of the world’s population and thus represented a market for the economic growth of both the countries.

Mr. Choonnee, who spoke touchingly about India’s close relations with Mauritius, emphasised the fact that Asia and Africa together made up two thirds of the world’s population. Mauritius, he said, would be the connecting point for the closer cooperation between India and Africa once again.

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