India to host India-Africa summit in April

from The Times of India

NEW DELHI: With an aim of bolstering its relations with Africa, India will host the Summit of African countries here to enhance the "true partnership" to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, who is attending the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, announced that India will hold the Summit of India-Africa Forum in New Delhi in April.

Sharma, who is leading a high-level delegation participating in the African Union Summit, also invited heads of African countries for the summit meeting here.

"India looks for a true partnership with Africa and support its development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals," he said on Tuesday.

Sharma delivered letters of invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to heads of state and foreign ministers of African countries.

Among the countries invited for the summit meeting are South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia.

Sharma also called on Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Ghanian President John Kufuor, who is also the current chair of the African Union.

Both the leaders have accepted the invitation and said the timing of the summit is appropriate as Africa diversifies its relationship and cooperation with India is now in the forefront of their agenda.