Modi quotes African Nobel literature laureates in speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted two African recipients of the Nobel Prize for Literature in his inaugural address of the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) meeting here on Thursday.

In referring to the value of developing human resources, Modi quoted Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka.

"As the great Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka insisted, human entity remains the primary asset in overall development.

"Our approach is based on the same belief: that the best partnership is one that develops human capital and institutions; that equips and empowers a nation to have the freedom to make its own choices and shoulder the responsibility for its own progress. It also opens doors to opportunities for the youth.

"So, development of human capital in every walk of life will be at the heart of our partnership," the prime minister said.

On the importance of technology in the development process, Modi quoted Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz.

"The Egyptian Nobel Prize winning writer Naguib Mahfouz said, 'Science brings people together with the light of its ideas and prods us towards a better future'," he said.

"There can be no better expression of the ability of science to unify people and advance progress. So, technology will be a strong foundation of our partnership," Modi said.

While playwright and poet Soyinka in 1986 became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Mahfouz, a contemporary writer of Arabic literature, won the prize in 1988.