Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ project flagged off, scripting a new chapter in India-Africa relations
India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa in last few years.
Giving India-Africa relations another boost, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as its technical and knowledge partner.
30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. agri and B.Tech/M.Tech engineering students from Gajapati district will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ, being developed under this project. Gajapati district is an aspirational district of Odisha.
Expressing happiness over the development, Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. It is a new chapter in that relationship. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.
The minister said that, in the last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa. Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of ‘South-South’ cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent.
Pradhan also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.
He also spoke of India’s G20 presidency, adding that its an opportunity to enhance India’s role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries. India’s G20 presidency is scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.
The minister said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program. He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.
