New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Steps to enhance trade, investment, technology transfer and capacity-building will be discussed in two India-Africa meetings in Johannesburg Tuesday, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said here.
India’s Commerce Minister Anand Sharma will attend the third India-Africa Trade Ministers meeting and the India-Africa Business Council (IABC) meeting.
“Top CEOs from India and Africa are meeting on 1st October, 2013 in Johannesburg under the umbrella of India Africa Business Council (IABC) to draw up a blue print of action for closer economic cooperation,” FICCI said Monday.
“To give a further impetus to this engagement, the business delegation will interact with trade ministers on the sidelines of the meeting of the India Africa Trade Ministers to be held alongside the IABC meet,” it added.
African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Diamini-Zuma, South African Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, and trade ministers and officials from nations like Kenya, Malawi and Chad would participate in the day-long meeting.
Indian and African businessmen from sectors like telecommunications, healthcare and aviation would also discuss various issues related with increasing investments between the two regions. Bharti group Chairman Sunil Mittal will co-chair the IABC meeting and Dangote Group Chairman Aliko Dangote will co-chair from the Africa side.
Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej, Apollo Hospital executive director Sangita Reddy and Sun Group CEO Vikramjit Singh Sahney, among others, are part of the Indian business delegation.
Since IABC’s inception in March 2012 substantial ground has been covered in placing the India-Africa engagement on a robust pedestal, FICCI said. Five working groups have been set up on each side and a set of recommendations drawn up in respective areas for deepening India’s engagement with Africa.
India-Africa trade has crossed $70 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach $100 billion by 2015.
