20-member Africa Expert Group (AEG), established by the Vivekananda International Foundation, presented a Report titled ‘India-Africa Partnership: Achievements, Challenges and Roadmap 2030’.The report highlights India’s significant partnership with Africa and emphasizes the importance of regular policy review and implementation to strengthen the relationship.With Africa accounting for around 17% of the global population and projected to reach 25% by 2050, India recognizes its crucial role in the partnership as a rising global power.
Key Highlights of the Report
Changes in Africa
- Africa is undergoing significant changes in its demographics, economy, politics, and society. It is gradually moving towards regional integration and is committed to promoting democracy, peace, and progress.
- However, some countries like Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Central African Republic are still grappling with challenges posed by insurgency, ethnic violence, and terrorism.
Competition and External Players
- Several external partners, including China, Russia, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, are actively competing to strengthen their relations with different parts of Africa.
- They aim to secure market access, energy and mineral resources, and enhance their political and economic influence in the region.
China’s Involvement
- China has stood out as Africa’s largest economic partner since 2000. It plays a significant role as an infrastructure developer, resource provider, and financier in Africa.
- China has made substantial investments in terms of finances, materials, and diplomatic efforts.
Importance of Africa for India
- Africa is home to over half a dozen of the fastest growing countries of this decade such as Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, etc. making it one of the growth poles of the world.
- Real GDP in Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade has grown by more than twice the rate in the 1980s and 90’s.
- The African continent has a population of over one billion with a combined GDP of 2.5 trillion dollars making it a huge potential market.
- Africa is a resource rich nation dominated by commodities like crude oil, gas, pulses and lentils, leather, gold and other metals, all of which India lacks in sufficient quantities.
- Namibia and Niger are among the top ten global producers of uranium.
- South Africa is the world’s largest producer of platinum and chromium.
- India is seeking diversification of its oil supplies away from the Middle East and Africa can play an important role in India’s energy matrix.