Strengthening Ties in Africa and India: A Fresh Chapter in Southeast-Southeast Collaboration
India and South Africa are set to strengthen their partnership, with Indian agriculture and tech companies poised to play a significant role in expanding Africa's food production capacity. This was the central theme of the 19th CII India-Africa Business Conclave, held in New Delhi from August 20-22, 2021. The event, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, attracted over 1,800 delegates. The main African partner countries included South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Uganda. Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, highlighted the potential for deeper collaborations and emphasized the role Indian companies could play in seeding startup ecosystems in various African countries. He also identified critical areas for partnership, such as technology-led agricultural cooperation, entertainment, and the extraction of critical minerals. One of the focus areas of the India-Africa partnership is clean technology and climate-resilient agriculture. Shri Goyal urged the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Africa to better utilise the Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme offered by India. In the realm of agriculture and agro-processing, Mr. Sanjiv Puri, President of CII and Chairman & Managing Director of ITC Ltd., proposed deeper collaboration. He suggested leveraging the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance the partnership, with a focus on areas like maritime security, connectivity, and the green economy. Zimbabwe, represented by Gen (Retd.) Dr. C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, Hon'ble Vice-President, expressed a keen interest in investments from Indian industry in areas like manufacturing, agriculture, and agro-processing, tourism development, infotech, and more. Liberia, represented by Mr. Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President, acknowledged the trade agreement between India and Liberia, which has boosted bilateral trade to USD 325 million. He sought Indian assistance in skills and technological advancements to enhance local production in Liberia, particularly in agriculture. The event also underscored the importance of addressing supply chain bottlenecks, a point emphasized by Mr. Dammu Ravi. He urged Indian companies and investors to establish deep footprints in Africa's manufacturing zones and consider expanding Special Economic Zones in Africa. In the sector of automobiles, the partnership should focus on this area, as suggested by Shri Goyal. He also highlighted India's advancements in digital public infrastructure and advocated for leveraging this expertise to support Africa's digital transformation. The India-Africa growth partnership was praised for its transformative potential, with Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar expressing confidence in India's experience and expertise in digital infrastructure being of great relevance to Africa. The Conclave arranged over 900 business-to-business meetings, laying a solid foundation for future collaborations. Mr. Noel Tata, Chairman of the CII Africa Committee and Chairman of Tata International Ltd., emphasised CII's focus on fostering partnerships between SMEs from both regions and bridging gaps in banking and finance sectors through solutions like rupee trade. Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of CII, noted that CII's Centres of Excellence are set to play a greater role in Africa and mentioned the expansion of CII's office in Eastern and Northern Africa, underscoring CII's deep commitment to expanding cooperation with Africa. Africa's rich natural resources and demographic advantage make it an attractive destination for investments, according to Shri Dhankhar. Mr. Marie Cyril Eddy Boissezon, Hon'ble Vice President, Republic of Mauritius, underscored the 'time-tested relationship' between India and Mauritius. He added that the trade agreement signed between the two countries on April 1, 2021, has helped augment bilateral trade and investments. Lastly, Mr. Sunil Barthwal called for deeper collaborations and emphasized the potential for Indian companies to help seed startup ecosystems in various African countries. The 19th CII India-Africa Business Conclave served as a testament to the growing India-Africa partnership and the opportunities it presents for mutual growth and development.
