India, Africa seeks global efforts to combat terrorism, piracy

From V Mohan Narayan
Addis Ababa, May 25 (PTI) India and Africa Wednesday
came out strongly against cross-border terrorism asking
countries not to allow their territories to be made a base for
terrorists and sought intensified international cooperation to
snuff out the menace of piracy off the coast of Somalia.
The two sides also highlighted the need for urgent and
comprehensive reform of the UN system and backed each other's
aspirations to become permanent members of the UN Security
Council with full rights.
The eight-page Addis Ababa Declaration adopted at the
end of the two-day Africa-India Forum Summit here, co-chaired
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Equitorial Guinea
President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, called for immediate
cessation of all hostilities in Libya and urged the parties in
the conflict to strive towards a political solution through
peaceful means and dialogue.
The Summit attended by leaders from 15 African
countries unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms
and manifestations.
"An act of terrorism anywhere is a threat to the
entire international community. We recognise the need to
further strengthen international cooperation to combat global
terrorism," the Declaration said.
The leaders made a strong pitch for active prosecution
of the authors of such crimes and their accomplices and urged
that they be brought to justice expeditiously.
"We further call on all countries to ensure that acts
of cross-border terrorism do not occur, and that their
territories are not made a base for terrorists," the
Declaration said. The problem of piracy plaguing the region also came
under focus in the joint Declaration.
"We further stress the importance of addressing the
threat posed by piracy off the coast of Somalia and suffering
caused by taking hostages, and call on all states to cooperate
in combating and eradicating the menace of piracy," it said.
Addressing a joint press conference with the African
Union (AU) chairperson Jean Ping and Mbasogo, the Prime
Minister said the Declaration and the Africa-India Framework
for Enhanced Cooperation adopted at the Summit envisaged not
only economic and political cooperation, but also cooperation
in other fields like science and technology, research and
development, social development and capacity building, health,
culture, infrastructure, energy and environment.
Singh said India's total commitment over the next
three years is expected to be USD 5.7 billion to help Africa
achieve its development goals while noting that measures to
open the Indian market to African exports, including the
Duty-Free Tariff Preference Scheme, are bearing fruit.
Noting that the African continent was today on the
path of resurgence, he said India deeply valued its friendship
with African countries as well as the trust and confidence
they have reposed in it.
Asked what gave India confidence to invest in Africa
where some of the countries are not stable, Singh said these
were "temporary difficulties" which they will overcome.
Ping said the Framework Agreement on Enhanced
cooperation would give a new impetus to relations between
India and Africa.
Mbasogo said Africa needs a partner like India for its
progress and development. On UN reforms, he said India can
count on Africa's support for its permanent membership of the
Security Council.
The Declaration emphasised that the expansion of the
Security Council, in the permanent and non-permanent
categories, with increased participation of developing
countries in both categories, was central to the process of
reform and for enhancing the credibility of the UN.
The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation
in areas such as sustainable development, poverty alleviation,
healthcare, universal education and sharing appropriate
technologies.
India and Africa called for negotiating specific steps
to reduce and finally eliminate nuclear weapons, leading to a
world free from all weapons of mass destruction as envisaged
in the Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan of 1988.
The two sides said they looked forward to the
commencement of negotiations on the Treaty Banning the
Production of Fissile Material for Nuclear Weapons and other
Nuclear Explosive devices in the Conference for Disarmament.
On the issue of climate change, India and Africa asked
developed countries to take ambitious actions to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions and also provide adequate financing
and transfer of technology to support the efforts of
developing countries to effectively address the growing
concern.
They reaffirmed the importance of reaching an
agreement on a second commitment period under the Kyoto
Protocol as an indispensable step to preserve the integrity of
the international climate change regime.
"We express our firm commitment to a balanced outcome
from the climate change negotiations which are commensurate
with the principles of equity and common but differentiated
responsibilities on the basis of respective capabilities.
The two sides said they remained concerned with the
recurrent trend of increasing global food, energy and
financial crisis.
While recognising the current economic recovery, they
were still concerned with its sustainability, the Declaration
said.
India and Africa underlined the importance of
supporting stable, longterm capital flows to developing
countries to stimulate investment, especially in
infrastructure.
Highlighting the importance of achieving Millennium
Development Goals, the two sides stressed that the aid
commitments for the developing countries must be fulfilled by
the developed countries which should not slash development
assistance.
They also underscored the need for a comprehensive and
balanced outcome of the Doha Round in a manner that gives
weight to its mandate as a "development round".
The leaders urged all parties to oppose all forms of
protectionism and trade distorting domestic support.
"We remain concerned that no significant progress has
been achieved on key issues of interest to developing
countries including India and those of Africa," the document
said.