India keen for jt mineral exploration with 3 African countries

Anand Mishra

On Board Special Aircraft, Jan 12 (PTI) India is keen to
forge cooperation with resource-rich southern African
countries of Zambia, Malawi and Botswana in the field of
mineral exploration and play a major role in their economic
development, Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari said on
Tuesday.

Ansari, who was on a week-long trip to the three nations,
told reporters accompanying him that the visit had been useful
and satisfactory.
Asked what would be the future roadmap for India-Africa
relations, he referred to the 2008 summit between the two
sides, saying the country is incrementally moving towards the
targets laid down then. "We have done our bit to continue that
dialogue and find locations of opportunities."
He also dismissed the suggestion there was any difference
in India's policy towards North Africa and South Africa saying
"I don't think so... We treat African Union as one entity...
North African countries are equally members of the AU."
"The impression that I take back from the visit to the
three countries is that there is goodwill and keenness to
enhance the level of relations with us and get more involved
with us in the development of business and industry.
"... The direction in which the Indian economy is going,
the major role will be played by private sector, especially in
industrial development," he said.
Ansari also said India is looking at bilateral
cooperation in mineral exploration in these countries, like
for uranium and coal.

A developing country like ours wants access to resources,
be it oil, gas or minerals. Not every mineral, but those that
are in short supply. Those are things we are looking at. In
Malawi, we looked at coal and uranium. This is not only in
Southern Africa but elsewhere also. It is part of our national
policy to ensure that the resources we need are available,"
Ansari said replying to a query while returning home.
On whether India was looking for any cooperation with
diamond-rich Botswana, the Vice President said "in Botswana,
we have initiated discussions and we will continue with them."
Ansari had visited the Diamond Trading Company in
Botswana twice during his three-day visit there.
Asked whether the issue of cooperation between India and
Botswana in the sphere of diamond mining was discussed,
Secretary (West) of India's Ministry of External Affairs Vivek
Katju had earlier replied in negative, saying "there was no
discussion, specifically on diamonds."
The Vice President also rejected the notion that there
was apprehension that Indian presence in the region could lead
to locals losing their jobs.
"I don't think so. Obviously local employment will be
generated if you establish any industry. Look at the hotel Taj
in Lusaka. How many Indian workers were there? When we go for
large investments like this, we don't take large work forces
from our country. We focus on management and financial
control. Vedanta employs 21,000 people in Zambia of which 111
are Indians. It doesn't make economic sense to take work force
from India because it comes with liabilities." PTI AMR
MYR