Summit ends with review mechanism, infra development on the cards

Keen to ensure that there was no gap between ideas and action, the third India-Africa summit ended with a promise to set up a monitoring mechanism to track implementation of agreed projects.

Keen to ensure that there was no gap between ideas and action, the third India-Africa summit ended with a promise to set up a monitoring mechanism to track implementation of agreed projects and expand their cooperation to the ocean economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the India Africa Forum Summit, at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, in New Delhi. (Sonu Mehta/ HT Photo)

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the success of the summit was far beyond the agreements reflected in the summit declaration.

“...More than numbers and documents, the biggest outcome is our renewed friendships, stronger partnerships and greater solidarity,” Modi said in his concluding remarks at the summit.

The PM also addressed complaints about project lags, slow disbursal of promised funds and byzantine bureaucracy handling the project. The summit has now decided to put in a review mechanism, which was also promised at the last edition of the India-Africa summit in a time-bound manner.

“We are conscious of the shadow that falls between an idea and action, between intention and implementation. So, implementation will be as important as starting projects,” the PM said, promising the “strengthen our monitoring system” that will include a joint monitoring mechanism with African Union.

Also, the summit will be now held once in five years instead of three years now. The summit declaration also paved the way for expanding the areas of financial assistance into more areas, particularly infrastructure, rural electrification among others.

The summit recognised the ocean economy as a new area of cooperation, especially given how large sections of peoples are dependent on it.