PM Narendra Modi addressing the India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi (Press Trust of India photo)
India and Africa must speak in one voice on global affairs, including reform of the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, pitching for a broad alliance on international issues including climate change.
Addressing the heads of state of 54 African nations at the biggest India-Africa summit, PM Modi said, "Our institutions cannot be representative of our world, if they do not give voice to Africa, with more than a quarter of UN members, or the world's largest democracy with one-sixth of humanity... That is why India and Africa must speak in one voice for reforms of the United Nations, including its Security Council.
Attended by about 1,000 delegates, the four-day summit, which ends today, is said be the biggest ever overseas gathering of African leaders and represents the highest number of foreign dignitaries to descend on India since 1983.
"Today, the dreams of one-third of humanity have come together under one roof," PM Modi said, promising $10 billion in credit over the next five years to African nations to back a "partnership of prosperity".
The PM also invited African countries to join an alliance of "solar-rich" nations at a key UN climate summit in Paris next month. Asserting that no one has done less to contribute to global warming than India and Africa, the PM said "excess of few cannot become the burden of many", in an apparent reference to the developed world.
The Prime Minister will today meet with leaders of countries including Angola, Ethiopia and Egypt after holding talks on Wednesday with leaders including Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, the oil-rich nation key to India's energy interests on the continent.
New Delhi has worked hard to showcase its commitment to the continent's economic rise and historic friendship with African nations as it vies for a greater share of its natural resources.
India's economic presence in Africa is dwarfed by China, whose bilateral trade with the continent topped $200 billion last year - more than the GDP of the 30 smallest African economies combined.