Gujarat: PM Modi to inaugurate African bank meet today

In a bid to strengthen economic ties with Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will inaugurate the annual meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Gujarat.

The event will take place at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

The President of African Development Bank - Mr. Akinwumi Adesina has said that the core theme of the Annual Meeting is 'Transforming Agriculture for wealth creation in Africa'.

"The main focus of the meeting will be on achieving sustainable growth with High 5s- strategy- which include agriculture, energy, industrialization, regional connectivity and improved quality of life," said Adesina.

"This is the largest event of the Bank, which would witness about 3 thousand delegates from 81 member countries. This is the first time that African Development Bank is holding its annual meetings in India with a view to bolstering ties," he added

According to reports, India is also organizing an Africa India Cooperation event on the side-lines of the main event.

The sessions will primarily focus on agriculture, healthcare, e-governance, renewable energy, skill development and education, trade and investment, and manufacturing.

The government has also organised an exhibition during the annual meetings of the Bank with an objective to showcase the capabilities of Indian companies in terms of technology, innovation, and start-ups for African countries.

India joined the African Development Fund (ADF) in 1982 and the AfDB in 1983 starting a long history of cooperation spanning over 30 years.

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a two day Gujarat visit, had launched a series of development projects at Kandla Port and dedicated a Pumping Station on Narmada Sub-canal near Bhachau in Kutch district yesterday.