hands across the oceanManmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India

Meles Zenawi

Prime Minister of ethiopia

a tIMe For reneWalthe India-africa partnership is based onfirm historical foundations. through thedecades it has grown into one of themost productive and durablepartnerships, befitting the increasedinterdependence among nations thatcharacterises the 21st century. oursimilar historical experiences have

engendered a common worldview. Understanding andsensitivity to each other’s strengths, requirements andconstraints gives our partnership lasting strength andresilience.

For the people of India, africa is the land of awakening ofthe Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. In the middle ofthe last century, within a decade of each other, both Indiaand africa broke through the yoke of colonial dominationafter a long and painful struggle. In those initial days, whenwe were taking the first steps for socio-economicadvancement, we stood by each other. our bonds ofempathy and cooperation have since been visible in ourcooperation in several global fora over the past severaldecades.

India is today on a path of rapid economic growth. africa iswitnessing a phase of robust resurgence. some of theworld’s fastest-growing economies are in africa.

africa is blessed with a young and dynamic population. thisis complemented by a visionary leadership which is keen tosee the continent realise its true potential. Both our peoplesdesire a better and healthier life. new opportunities forcooperation, therefore, beckon us.

this is the time for India and africa to renew and redirecttheir age-old bonds of friendship to respond to theaspirations of their peoples.

I am happy to note that the high level of politicalcommitment on both sides to India-africa cooperation isably supported by our entrepreneurs, scholars, writers andmedia. India and africa are blessed with a large pool ofimmensely talented business people driven by a remarkableentrepreneurial spirit. they deserve our full support andguidance in harnessing trade and investment opportunities.

there is a lot that we can learn from each other’sdevelopment experiences. India’s engagement with africa ismarked by a strong focus on capacity-building. apart fromcontributing to human resource development andstrengthening of institutions in various african countries,India-africa cooperation is also aimed at facilitating greaterintra-african cooperation.

our common interests help us to address global issuestogether. Poverty, hunger and disease are our biggestchallenges. as part of south-south cooperation, we mustpool our knowledge and wisdom in addressing globalchallenges. these include protection of the environment,development of alternative and renewable sources ofenergy, the menace of terrorism and extremism, and theestablishment of a democratic, equitable and justinternational order.

the rise of India and africa is opening new windows for ourcollaboration. Working hand in hand, India and africa cancontribute to each other’s welfare and prosperity andthereby to global peace, stability and development. theIndia-african Forum summit offers an ideal platform to doso. together with our african partners, we will worktowards its success.

Dr. Manmohan SinghPrime Minister of India

(Left) Indian and African leaders with artistes after a culturalprogramme at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the first India-AfricaForum Summit in New Delhi in April 2008.

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