'India believes in sharing knowledge'

India believes in sharing its knowledge and learning from the experiences of other countries to bring about mutual growth, Indian High Commissioner Jeeva Sagar has said.

Opening a five day executive development programme (EDM) here Monday, Sagar hoped the training "would result in better understanding of business climate and opportunities in both the countries and further expansion of trade and investment".

The EDP for International Business has been designed by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and forms part of the decisions taken at India-Africa Forum Summit in 2008. It would be conducted in various African countries over the next five years ending in the establishment of a Pan-African India Africa Institute of Foreign Trade (IAIFT) at Ugandan capital Kampala.

Samuel Nii-Noi Ashong, deputy rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), who jointly opened the programme, wished the participants well and hoped the interaction will lead to institutional level cooperation between GIMPA and IIFT and facilitate theexchange of programmes and faculty.

Biswajit Nag of the IIFT, one of the trio running the course, said since it's founding 50 years ago, the Institute has received wide international recognition.

Nag said the IIFT has conducted EDPs all over Africa and was received with tremendous enthusiasm.

The EDP is being attended by more than 50 participants ranging from CEOs, managing directors and other senior executives of various establishments, as also officers from the ministries of trade & industry, foreign affairs & regional integration, transport and justice.

The topics covered during the programme include globalization & trade policy, economic diplomacy, world trade environment, consumer behaviour analysis in international business, WTO framework, global supply chain & logistics, international production network and managing international projects.

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@hotmail.com)