I am honored to speak on behalf of India at today's debate on the New Partnership for Africa's Development. 

 

Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his reports on the items under discussion, including the 13th consolidated progress report on the implementation of and international support to NEPAD. 

We endorse the statement made by the distinguished representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77.

 

 

As a template of African-owned and African-led framework for the socio-economic development of the continent, the New Partnership for Africa's Development or NEPAD has played an important role in galvanizing the support of the international community for the efforts of African nations in bringing sustainable development to their people.

 

The report of the Secretary General correctly notes that in the decade and a half of its implementation, the continent has, in overall terms, experienced unprecedented economic growth and improved social development, even though progress in some areas has been halting and persistent challenges have hampered the continent's achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

 

 

While we have debated the implementation of NEPAD for several years, the unique context and timing of the debate today is most propitious.

 

Our leaders have just adopted the new '2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' to channel our collective efforts over the coming decade and a half. 

 

We also adopted this year new template for financing development under the 'Addis Ababa Action Agenda'. As the outcome of a Conference that was held on African soil, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda will also, we hope, generate tangible results in generating financial and technological support to assist the efforts of African countries.

 

Also this year, African member states adopted the 'Agenda 2063', an ambitious 50-year transformative agenda that outlines a wide-ranging and comprehensive vision for the continent's development, peace and security.

 

Taken together therefore, the year 2015 marks an important milestone for Africa's development. 

 

 

In our view, the new developmental vision and the template of action contained in the Agenda 2030 is ambitious, comprehensive and holistic. At its core are ideals and objectives that are also most relevant for the development of Africa. 

 

The recognition that ending poverty is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development speaks directly to the imperative of keeping the interests and priorities of Africa at the centre of our efforts.

 

The continuation and strengthening of MDG priorities under the SDGs - health, water, sanitation, education, welfare of children and women and food security - address challenges where progress has been made but much more needs to be done, not least in Africa. 

 

The addition of a standalone goal on universal access to affordable energy addresses a key pillar of development and a key priority for Africa.

 

The inclusion in the SDGs of economic growth, full employment, industrialization and infrastructure development as policy objectives in their own right, is also most relevant for Africa.

 

Even more importantly, the emphasis laid by our Leaders on revitalizing the global partnership to support the efforts of developing countries through financial and technological assistance, is in line with the priorities outlined in NEPAD.

 

In the months and years to come, as the international community puts the new framework into action, it will be incumbent upon us to keep the priorities of Africa at the centre of our work.

 

 

The report of the Secretary General on NEPAD paints a rather benign picture of the state of global partnership to support Africa's development.

 

The most important reflection of this is of course the stagnating if not declining levels of development aid to Africa. Even as overall ODA levels increased slightly in 2014 over 2013, what is striking is that ODA to Africa suffered a decline. Moreover, the share of Africa in global ODA also fell. This cannot but be a cause of concern and a situation that must be remedied at the earliest.

 

It is important not only that aid commitments are met at the earliest, but also that aid continues to flow to those most in need. It is equally important that aid is not diverted away from social sectors like health and education into climate change mitigation, for which the support must be new and additional.

 

 

India's links with Africa go back a long way in history. Nurtured by people to people contact, these links are anchored in shared history and enduring friendship across the Indian Ocean. Our common bonds of anti-colonial struggle and post-colonial nation-building have further strengthened this friendship and cooperation. 

 

India and Africa today represent rapidly growing economies with demographic advantages and common development aspirations. 

 

The multifaceted development partnership between India and Africa based on equality, friendship and solidarity represents South-South cooperation in all its dimensions. 

 

It encompasses human resource development through scholarships, training and capacity building; financial assistance through grants and soft loans to implement various public goods projects in accordance with the requests of our African partners; trade preferences; technology collaborations; humanitarian assistance; deployment of peacekeeping troops; and coordination of approach on global issues of concern for developing countries. 

 

The focused priorities being pursued by the Government of India in its partnership with Africa are synergistic with Africa's own Agenda 2063. 

 

The similarity of our priorities and shared purpose provide special strength and durability to our partnership. 

 

 

Since 2011 alone, India has provided over 24,000 scholarships to African countries. These include more than 300 training programmes conducted at over 60 institutions in addition to the higher education scholarships at various institutions. 

 

India-Africa trade has multiplied 20 times in the last 15 years and doubled in the last five years to reach US$ 72 billion in 2014-2015. 

 

Launched in 2008, India expanded its Duty Free Trade Preference Scheme for LDCs in 2014 to now include 98% of tariff lines. The benefits of this unilateral scheme extend to all sub Saharan African countries to increase their exports to India. 

 

Growing investment by Indian companies in Africa is now estimated in the range of US$ 30-35 billion spread across a range of sectors. 

 

In the last decade, a total of almost US$ 9 billion in concessional credit has been approved for nearly 140 projects in more than 40 African countries by Government of India, with special emphasis on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS partners in view of their special challenges and requirements. So far nearly 60 projects have been completed. 

 

Mr. President,

 

India is organizing the third India-Africa Forum Summit from 26-29 October, 2015, at which we have planned the participation of all 54 African countries. This will be the first such Summit following the landmark adoption of the Agenda 2063 by the Africa Union this year. This Summit will also be the first since the achievement of 50 years of pan-Africanism. 

 

India and Africa have long worked together to develop a common approach and joint endeavor to attain inclusive economic growth, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. 

 

We have no doubt that this unique partnership will only strengthen in the coming years.