India pitches for counter-terror cooperation with Africa

Asserting that there was growing scourge of terrorism in view of fast growing linkages of terrorist groups across the globe, India today strongly advocated stepped up cooperation through intelligence exchange and training with 54 African countries.
Addressing her counterparts at the Ministerial Meeting of 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit here, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also forcefully put India's case for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, saying the country along with Africa comprising nearly 2.5 billion people "can no longer be excluded from their rightful place" in the world body.
Noting that "all our nations find themselves faced with the growing scourge of terrorism", she said the menace of non-state actors and cross-border terrorism has acquired a new dimension and the scale of this challenge is huge and undermines the peace and stability in the countries.

"In view of the fast growing linkages of such terrorist groups across the globe, we must step up our cooperation through intelligence exchange, training and other measures to counter this menace.
"We also hope that the international community will cooperate with urgency to adopt the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism," she said. The minister's remarks came in the backdrop of increasing concerns in the international community on the rising threat posed by the ISIS and Boko Haram.
Swaraj also talked about various key areas like energy, trade and security where the two sides can collaborate and boost cooperation apart from working together on multilateral fora.

"Although Indians and Africans comprise nearly 2.5 billion people, our nations continue to be excluded from appropriate representation in the institutions of global governance. India and Africa can no longer be excluded from their rightful place of the permanent membership of the UN Security Council," she said.

"How can we expect legitimacy from a governance structure that excludes the entire African continent and a country, which represents one-sixth of humanity?" she said.
Underlining that democratic reforms are essential in global institutions, Swaraj said the 70th session of the UN General Assembly is an opportune moment to achieve concrete results to resolve these long-pending issues.

"Unless we put in place more democratic global governance structures, the more equitable and just international security and development frameworks that are essential for the collective peace and prosperity of this planet, will continue to elude us.
"There can no longer be pockets of prosperity in vast areas of underdevelopment and insecurity," Swaraj said.