Webinar Video: Mapping Next Steps in India-Africa Partnership

Africa Day is celebrated across the world on May 25 to mark the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity and the continent’s liberation from imperialism and colonialism. To mark Africa Day, India Writes Network, an emerging foreign policy think tank, & India and the World magazine organised a virtual conference entitled “Mapping Next Steps in India-Africa Partnership: Pandemic & Beyond.” The webinar brought together eminent diplomats, experts and thought leaders from India and Africa, cutting together time zones and geographies. The conference focused on enhancing India-Africa cooperation in the immediate context of the pandemic and also in the post-COVID economic recovery.  The virtual seminar generated a host of recommendations to map the future trajectory of the India-Africa partnership in accordance with 10 principles of the India-Africa partnership outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his defining speech to the Ugandan parliament in July 2018. Mr Rahul Chhabra, Secretary (Economic Relations) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs and India’s then High Commissioner to Kenya and Ambassador to Somalia, was the keynote speaker at the Webinar. Moderated by Manish Chand, Founder-CEO of India Writes Network and India and the World, a pioneering magazine focused on international affairs, the Webinar was addressed by eminent diplomats and experts. This included: Dr Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director General, DIRCO, South Africa; H.E. Mr. Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam, Ambassador of Eritrea in India and Dean of African Group Heads of Mission in India; David Rasquinha, MD, EXIM Bank; H.E. Ambassador of Uganda to India Grace Akello; H.E. Morocco’s Ambassador to India Mohammed Maliki; H.E. Ambassador of Ethiopia to India Tizita Mulugeta; H.E. Sékou KASSÉ, Ambassador of Mali; Amb. Virendra Gupta, India’s former high commissioner to South Africa; Prof. Rajan Harshe, academic and author; and Pranav Kumar, Head, International Trade (CII).