India and African nations on Thursday pledged to continue promoting investment and trade through opening of new markets and raising the level of economic partnership between the two sides.

“We agree to... continue to work together in promoting investment exchanges and encourage establishment of direct trade relations through opening of new markets and raising the level of trade relations between the two sides in order to contribute to sustainable growth and economic development,” said the Delhi Declaration issued at the third India-Africa Forum Summit.

Both sides agreed to work closely together within the framework of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement for the expansion of trade and investment linkages and extend the framework to other regional economic communities, it said.

They were on the same page to support the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) aimed at integrating Africa’s markets in line with the principles laid down in the Abuja Treaty, establishing the African Economic Community and its resolve to support the Continental Free Trade Area Negotiating Forum to conclude the negotiations by 2017.

They would fast-track implementation of the Duty Free Tariff Preference scheme offered by India since this would play “a significant role” in increasing trade between the two regions, the Declaration said, adding that both would strive for creating a conducive environment for trade facilitation in accordance with the WTO Bali Trade Facilitation Agreement.

In the infrastructure sector, there was agreement on intensifying ongoing cooperation in training, capacity building, consultancy and project implementation through concessional credit in infrastructure areas, including maritime connectivity, road and railway construction.

According to the India-Africa Framework for Strategic Cooperation, the two sides would explore possible joint investments to establish a robust fibre optic infrastructure in Africa. India has also “taken note of” the request by the African side to further expand its Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme for least developed countries for greater coverage.

“Efforts should be made to promote private and public investment from Africa into India,” it added. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation through training and collective negotiations on global trade issues, including at the WTO, to protect and promote legitimate interests of developing countries.

They are also expected to step up ongoing cooperation in training, capacity building, consultancy and project implementation through concessional credit in infrastructure. Furthermore, it said the two sides agreed to train doctors and healthcare personnel through deployment of telecom and ICT in support of tele-medicine and e-health applications and strengthen public-private sector collaboration in pharmaceuticals.

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India-Africa Forum Summit: Closing Remarks by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

29 October 2015, New Delhi

This has been a truly historic day.

This week, we had the opportunity to listen to the whole of Africa.

Our first two Summits were limited to a few countries on the basis of the Banjul formula.

We are honoured today that all 54 African nations are participating.

Your response is a clear affirmation that this is the right format for India and Africa to meet.

I express profound gratitude to each of you for sharing your thoughts.

There is nothing that teaches you more than the wisdom of your friends.

All of us in India have been inspired by your aspirations for your country and Africa; your vision for this world; your feelings for India; and, your expectations from our partnership.

Your friendship and faith is a source of great pride and strength for us.

Listening to you has reinforced my conviction that partnership between India and Africa is natural, because our destinies are so closely inter-linked and our aspirations and challenges are so similar.

We will work with you to realize your vision of a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth, empowered citizens and sustainable development; an integrated and culturally vibrant Africa; and, a peaceful and secure Africa, which has its rightful global place and is a strong partner for the world.

I have listened carefully on how we can make our partnership more effective in support of your goals.

Your feedback and suggestions will be very helpful in restructuring our Lines of Credit. We will take into account your special circumstances and we will ensure even greater speed and transparency in their utilisation. As always, we will be guided by your priorities.

What we have learnt in the process of establishing institutions in Africa will help us to implement the projects in the shortest possible time.

We are very encouraged by the response to our scholarship programme. We will improve it further and also create a more supportive environment to live, study and train in India.

We will increase focus on using technology to support Africa’s development:

To transform governance, empower citizens, impart scale and speed to development, improve services, increase access to health and education, design products that are affordable for the poor, customize services to the needs of specific groups and build a more sustainable future for our planet.

We will give high priority to increase trade and investment flows between India and Africa. We will facilitate Africa’s access to the Indian market, including through the full and effective implementation of the duty free access extended to 34 countries.

We have excellent defence and security cooperation with many African countries. We have done this bilaterally and through multilateral and regional mechanisms. Closer defence and security cooperation, especially in capability development, will be a key pillar of India-Africa partnership.

We will intensify our cooperation against terrorism and rally the world to build a common cause against it.

Excellencies, we are conscious of the shadow that falls between an idea and action, between intention and implementation.

So, implementation will be as important as initiating projects. We will strengthen our monitoring system. This will include a Joint Monitoring Mechanism with African Union.

Excellencies, our solidarity and unity can be a major force in the cause of a more inclusive, fair and democratic global order. We are at a decisive moment in charting its course.

We should intensify our cooperation and collaboration to seek reforms of the United Nations,; achieve our shared goals in the Doha Development Round at the Nairobi Ministerial; a concerted global partnership in pursuit of the Development Agenda 2030; and, a comprehensive, concrete and balanced outcome on climate change in Paris.

A world mirrored in our vision and aspirations will give us each a better chance to succeed.

Today, we have adopted the Declaration of this Summit and the Framework for Strategic Cooperation.

But, more than numbers and documents, the biggest outcome is our renewed friendships, deepened partnerships and stronger solidarity.

Excellencies, given the scale of our Summit and the ambitious goals of our partnership, we have jointly agreed that the Summit should be held every five years.

However, Africa will remain at the centre of our attention. Our engagement with Africa will remain intense and regular. I hope to see you here on bilateral visits. And, I look forward to visiting all regions of Africa in the years ahead.

Finally, I sincerely thank you, your delegations, and other distinguished visitors from Africa, for being here. I hope you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for bringing good weather to Delhi.

I thank my ministerial colleagues, our officials and the city of Delhi for making this Summit a great success.

Thank you.