India’s Commitment to Africa’s Development
India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, emphasized India’s dedication to supporting Africa during a UN General Assembly meeting. She highlighted the challenges Africa faces, such as the impact of colonialism, COVID-19, conflicts, climate change, and energy security issues.
Key Pillars of Support
Ambassador Patel outlined four key pillars to strengthen support for Africa:
- Economic Stability: De-risking African economies by increasing access to concessional finance and creating fiscal space through innovative financing.
- Peace and Security: Addressing terrorism and supporting African security initiatives with sustainable financial and logistical aid.
- Regional Integration: Encouraging intra-African trade and addressing the lack of African representation in the UN Security Council.
- Development Initiatives: Supporting Africa’s 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 with India’s concessional line of credit and contributions to UN Peacekeeping Missions.
India’s Contributions
India has provided nearly 12 billion USD in credit to Africa and remains a major contributor to UN Peacekeeping Missions. The African Union’s inclusion as a permanent G20 member under India’s presidency in 2023 marks a significant step in fostering relationships.
Through initiatives like “Arogya Maitri,” India offers healthcare support, including hospitals and medicines, to African countries. Additionally, 41 African nations have joined the International Solar Alliance, reflecting India’s goodwill.
Ambassador Patel reiterated India’s commitment to an Africa-led development paradigm, ensuring African priorities guide their initiatives.
Doubts Revealed
Ambassador -: An ambassador is a person who represents their country in another country or at international meetings. They help maintain good relationships between countries.
UN -: The UN, or United Nations, is an international organization where countries come together to discuss and solve global issues like peace, security, and development.
Colonialism -: Colonialism is when a country takes control over another country, often exploiting its resources and people. Many African countries were colonized by European nations in the past.
COVID-19 -: COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus that spread around the world, leading to a pandemic. It affected health, economies, and daily life globally.
African Union -: The African Union is a group of African countries that work together to promote peace, security, and development across the continent.
G20 -: The G20 is a group of 20 major economies, including countries like India, the USA, and China, that discuss and work on global economic issues.
Arogya Maitri -: Arogya Maitri is an initiative by India to provide healthcare support and strengthen health systems in other countries, especially in Africa.