Bail out Africa from poverty trap: India

Underlining the urgency of finding solutions to the major challenges facing Africa, India has called on the international community to effectively implement all its commitments and assist the continent to come out of "poverty trap".

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Indian delegate D Raja expressed full support for the African Union's position that the continent deserved special attention.

Stating that India has always been committed to elevate its special relationship with Africa into enduring partnership, he said the strides made by it in infrastructure, agriculture, health and science and technology indicates the awakening of a giant which will immutably transform the international political and economic order.

Referring to the stalled Doha round of negotiations, Raja said India and Africa are working together in international fora, including the World Trade Organization, on the priority sectors integral to the development of Africa in the 21st Century.

"A vibrant India and a resurgent Africa are witnessing an intensification of relations and growing convergence of interest in their common quest for sustainable economic growth and development," he told the 192-member General Assembly.

Democratisation of international financial institutions, he said, is on the common agenda of India and Africa as both have been affected by the global economic slowdown and high food and oil prices.

Also on the common agenda are issues of climate change, fighting terrorism, combating disease, eradication of hunger  and poverty and promotion of pluralism and democracy, he stressed. Raja was intervening in the debate on progress in implementation and international support to New Partnership for Africa's Development.

"India has enhanced the available concessional Lines of Credit for Africa to $5.4 billion and as it sincerely aspires for a long-term partnership, it is investing in building economic infrastructure including railways, IT, telecom and power," he said.

For India, Raja said, capacity building in Africa has been an area of priority. Since 1964, India has, through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation(ITEC) Programme, worked with Africa in placing thousands of students from Africa in professional institutions under Indian scholarship schemes, he told the delegates.

He said over 15000 African students were currently studying in Indian universities and colleges. India will over the next five to six years undertake, on a grant basis, projects in critical areas focusing on education, science, IT, agriculture and renewable energy and has offered a substantially higher number of training slots and has also doubled long-term scholarships, he added.

"We have allocated half a billion dollars for this purpose," he said. The pan-African e-network project, Raja said, is a shining example of India-Africa partnership.