EAM Jaishankar Bets on Africa’s Transformation; Vows Mutual Cooperation, Global South Solidarity

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that the strong diplomatic relations between India and Nigeria have “exited for a very long time” and that two nations have agreed to strengthen the people-to-people exchanges, energy mobility, and bolster opportunities in the sectors of power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture among others. India, he said, is a four trillion dollar economy, and “I urge to all of you to look beyond the foreign policy.”

Jaishankar co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Nigeria at Abuja along with his counterpart Yusuf Tuggar. During the press address, he noted, “We are betting on Africa’s rise.” The EAM said that “today there is so much going on in Africa. We have a shared past.”

Jaishankar, who arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja from Lagos on Sunday held the conference after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda. He noted, that the countries "not always a happy history, but the rebalancing of the world will not be complete until Africa’s presence.”

“It is very difficult to go up in the global order just by being a supplier. We are prepared to partner in a range of activities. If we have to share technology, india is your partner . We must look at the sectors that matter. Global south for us is certainly a sentiment but most of all is a set of policies,” said EAM Jaishankar. 

The latter recalled the Nigeria President Tinubu's attendance of the G20 summit held in New Delhi in September 2023. “I think many of you know that today the term strategic partnership is laden with a lot of meaning, with a lot of content and with a lot of promise. So, when we look ahead at what is the working of the Joint Commission, I think we will be guided very much by that,” Jaishankar stressed.

Nigeria a key business partner of India: EAM 

EAM labelled Nigeria a key business partner of India. “We have about 130 Indian companies that have really put their economic future, struck roots in this country, to a point where they have actually become one of the largest employers in this country,” he said. Furthermore, he noted, “Our effort today is, at a time when technology is changing, economics is changing, world politics is changing, how do we build a relationship which is in tune with the needs of the future for two democratic countries with an inclusive socio-economic outlook.” 

Jaishankar said that India and Nigeria singed the agreements on solar energy. “We will see cooperation on green and clean growth. “Secondly, Nigeria and India we both face health challenges. How do we make medicines and health facilities affordable and accessible,” he added. “There will be new things happening in the relationship. They will take into account new technologies and new capabilities between our two countries. It’s a very forward-looking relationship that we envisage.” 

Jaishankar also addressed the two business forum meetings, as well as a Nigerian think tank. He met with the Indian community and unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi.