Africa's progress could help resolve world's many problems: PM

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) India looks upon Africa as a
new growth pole for the world economy and its progress could
help resolve problems relating to food and natural resources,
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.
"We look upon Africa as a new growth pole for the
world economy... the world problems with regard to food and
natural resource are going to be resolved in what happens to
economic development pace of Africa," Singh told reporters on
Saturday on his way back from his six-day Africa visit.
The Prime Minister noted that the world is faced with
a shortage of raw material, food and other issues.
"The more I look at the possibilities of progress in
Africa, I'm convinced that it is going to provide the pace for
the solutions of the global food problem, global resource
problem.
"Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us to
work together with the countries of Africa to evolve a more
equitable, more balanced and a more inclusive process of
development, avoiding the colonial patterns of development in
this regard," he said.
During his visit to Ethiopia and Tanzania, Singh
announced a financial package of 6.6 billion to the African
nations.
In Addis Ababa, the Prime Minister addressed the
Second Africa-India Forum Summit and announced USD five
billion lines of credit to Africa besides unveiling a slew of
measures to boost infrastructure development and capacity
building in the mineral-rich continent.
He committed an additional USD 700 million to
establish new institutions and training programmes and USD 300
million for development of a new Ethio-Djibouti railway line.
Singh also announced a new line of credit and
assistance of USD 190 million for Tanzania and signed an
agreement on avoidance of double taxation.