India has accorded high priority to its relations with Africa, Prime Minister Modi says
India has accorded high priority to its relations with Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, underlining India’s close partnership with Africa and reaffirming India’s commitment to support it in its development journey under Agenda 2063.

Participating in the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue, on 24 August, 2023 in Johannesburg on August 24, 2023, Prime Minister Modi said,  "Under Agenda 2063, India is a reliable and close partner in Africa's journey to become a global powerhouse of the future".

PRIME MINISTER MODI MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS DURING THE MEETING 

1. India is Africa's fourth-largest trading partner and the fifth-largest investor.

2. Whether it is power projects in Sudan, Burundi, and Rwanda, sugar plants in Ethiopia and Malawi, technology parks in Mozambique, Ivory Coast, and Eswatini, or campuses established by Indian universities in Tanzania and Uganda, India has always given priority to Capacity Building and Infrastructure Development in African countries.

3. To bridge the digital divide in Africa, India has provided over 15,000 scholarships in tele-education and tele-medicine.

4. India has established defence academies and colleges in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. India has deployed teams for training in Botswana, Namibia, Uganda, Lesotho, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tanzania.

5. Approximately 4400 Indian peacekeepers, including women, are contributing to peace and stability in Africa. India is also working together with the African countries in the fight against terrorism and piracy.

6. During the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, India supplied food items and vaccines to several countries. Now, India is working on joint manufacturing of Covid-19 and other vaccines with African nations.

7. Whether it's cyclones in Mozambique and Malawi or floods in Madagascar, India always stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Africa as a first responder.

8. Alongside high-level meetings, India has also opened 16 new embassies in Africa.

9. Over the past two days, in all the discussions of BRICS, we have focused on the priorities and concerns of the Global South. BRICS should be the voice of the Global South. 

10. PM Modi sought further cooperation to strengthen the multi-polar world and emphasised the need to reform the global institutions to keep them representative and relevant. He urged the leaders for cooperation in the domains of counter-terrorism, environment conservation, climate action, cybersecurity, food & health security and resilient supply chains.