PM's Africa visit to boost trade, address concerns on piracy

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will focus on strengthening ties on development and bilateral trade during his visit to Ethiopia and Tanzania — the first ever by an Indian prime minister. Singh is also expected to take up issues of terrorism and piracy.

Fifteen African nations will take part in the summit of the second India-Africa Forum at Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union (AU). The summit is expected to come out with the Addis Ababa Declaration and an Africa-India Framework for Enhanced Cooperation document, which would set the roadmap for further consolidating the strategic partnership between India and the African Union.

According to government officials, piracy and terrorism will be high on the agenda of the Prime Minister during his meetings with the heads of the African states. Singh will leave for Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on May 23 and return to Delhi from Tanzanian capital Dar es Salam on May 28.

“Like India, Africa too feels the adverse impact of terrorism. And piracy is a phenomenon that affects both Africa and India and the leaders will discuss ways and means of reducing and eliminating it," Vivek Katju, secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, said on Tuesday.

New Delhi shares the concerns with several other nations over Somali pirates frequently hijack crews and cargo ships in their area. During the past few years, over 200 ships were hijacked by Somali pirates.

On the eve of the PM’s visit to Africa, the Foreign Ministry rejected that India is in competition with China in Africa. "Our relationship with Africa stands on its own," Katju said.

"India is not engaged in competition in Africa with any other country. We are friends and we will continue to be friends and brothers. We have a historical relationship.”