India offers Africa $10bn credit line

India's relations with the 54 nations of Africa have received a much-needed reboot as a result of the India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi this week.An additional concessional credit line of $10 billion came alongside pledges for India and Africa to interact closely across areas of mutual interest like energy, climate change, agriculture and terrorism. India also renewed its commitment to help develop infrastructure, public transport, clean energy, irrigation, agriculture and manufacturing capacity across Africa.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the 41 heads of state and government gathered at the summit: “Africa, like the rest of the developing world, has its development challenges. And, like others in the world, it has its own concerns of security and stability, especially from terrorism and extremism.“That is why we wish to deepen our cooperation in maritime security and hydrography, and countering terrorism and extremism; and why we must have a UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).”“We have excellent defence and security cooperation with many African countries. We have done this bilaterally and through multilateral and regional mechanisms. Closer defence and security cooperation, especially in capability development, will be a key pillar of India-Africa partnership.“We will intensify our cooperation against terrorism and rally the world to build a common cause against it.”India also sought crucial African support for its bid to push for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms.Modi said: “These institutions have served us well, but unless they adjust to the changing world, they risk becoming irrelevant.“We cannot say what will replace them in an uncertain future. But we might have a more fragmented world that is less capable of dealing with the challenges of our era. That is why India advocates reforms in global institutions.“This is a world of free nations and awakened aspirations. Our institutions cannot be representative of our world if they do not give voice to Africa, with more than a quarter of UN members, or the world's largest democracy with one-sixth of humanity. That is why India and Africa must speak in one voice for reforms of the United Nations, including its Security Council.”