Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised that his government will keep its markets open for Africa and support their industries to invest in the continent, as well as work towards improving African Agriculture.
This was during his address to the parliament of Uganda this afternoon. The Prime minister arrived in Kampala on Tuesday, held bilateral talks with president Museveni and was hosted for a high level banquet.
“Africa will be at the top of our priorities; it will be sustained and regular. Our development partnership will be guided by your priorities on terms that will be comfortable” PM Modi said.
He also revealed that India is opening 18 new embassies in Africa and will implement 118 lines of credit worth USD11 billion in over 40 African countries.
“Over 8000 African Youth are trained in India.
Our efforts will be driven by your priorities. We are proud to support Uganda in agriculture, education, health and defence. We have defendable partnership” he emphasized.
President Museveni thanked his guest for the offer to build a convention centre at the source of the Nile and support the medical field.
Last evening, both leaders addressed the Indian community at Kololo ceremonial grounds. During the event, Prime minister Narendra applauded Uganda for the fast pace of development so far achieved saying this is a challenge on the African continent.
He and his host Mr. Museveni addressed 30,000 members of the Indian community in Uganda.
“Today, India competes with the developed world in the manufacture of many products yet it suffered alongside Africa in the days of slavery, colonialism and exploitation by the western world. India now is a world hub for IT” Mr. Modi said.
On his part, president Yoweri Museveni explained that although Africa and the Sub- Continent of India are separated by the Indian ocean, the two areas their relationship has played an important role in the development.
“Since the time of Mahtma Ghandi, the hard work of the Indians has made tremendous economic development in Uganda, East Africa and Africa at large, the construction of the Uganda Railway in the 1890s, the establishment of businesses by the Indian men and women opened up East Africa. It brought business and trade opportunities. The free migration of Indians eventually set up trading posts in the interior which gave birth to traders and merchants of East Africa” the president narrated.
Meanwhile, president Museveni called upon the Indian community to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries which is characterized by Uganda buying more from India than india is doing from Uganda.
The president made the statement this morning while speaking to a Uganda-India business forum at Kampala Serena Hotel.
“When I was in Delhi, by then India exported to Uganda products worth USD 1.7 billion and we exported products worth USD 24 million. As 8i told the prime minister, this trade imbalance should change” Mr. Museveni said.
Prime Minister Modi assured the president that India was ready to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries, noting that the other key areas the two countries could cooperate and maximize opportunity include human resource development and value addition to agricultural products.
