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Volume 45, No. 1 Special Edition November 2005

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Indian Council for Cultural Relations Azad Bhavan Indraprastha Estate New Delhi-110 002 E-mail: africa.quarterly@gmail.com Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India Regd No. 14380/61

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Doing Business With Africa

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Imparting Energy to India-Africa Ties

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Delhi-Khartoum: The New Silk Route

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The East African Diaspora

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In Conversation: Kheir El Din Abdel Latif

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Swahili: Language for Africa’s Renaissance?

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Creating a Brave New Knowledge Society

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Indian Journal of African Affairs Volume 45 No. 1, November 2005

SPECIAL EDITION

INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL RELATIONS NEW DELHI

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contents

A F R I C A

COVER STORY: DOING 16 BUSINESS WITH AFRICA

The new architecture of India-Africa relations is bound by three Ts –– Technology, Trade and Training –– and an expanding business horizon.

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POWER TALK: IMPARTING ENERGY TO RELATIONS

Talmiz Ahmad provides an overview of Africa’s vast hydrocarbon reserves which have the potential of providing a radically new dimension to the burgeoning India-Africa ties.

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DIPLOMATESE: KHARTOUMDELHI: NEW SILK ROUTE? Sudanese Ambassador to India Abdalmahmood A. Mohammad traces the civilisational ties between India and Sudan, and maps out a robust future for bilateral relations in diverse fields.

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EMERGING PARTNERS: A BRAVE NEW KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

Girijesh Pant outlines an emerging partnership between India and Africa in creating a brave new knowledge society and maps out a growing symmetry of interests between the two in a globalising world.

58 CULTURE & HERITAGE: LANGUAGE FOR AN AFRICAN RENAISSANCE

Rashmi Kapoor argues for the need for a panAfrican language that will not only serve as the lingua franca of diverse peoples, but can become an effective vehicle of an African renaissance.

52 SOUTHERN FOCUS: PARTNERING

THE EAST 42 DIASPORA: AFRICAN INDIAN

THE SADC

Aparajita Biswas traces the growth of an influential Indian diaspora in East Africa and argues for a more proactive Indian policy to involve overseas Indians in the rejuvenation of India-Africa relations.

As it marks its 25th anniversary year, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is preparing to expand and consolidate its ties with India. Dr. Suresh Kumar writes about the potential that India-SADC relations hold.

20 IN CONVERSATION:

With former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh on India-Africa relations.

50 IN CONVERSATION:

With Egyptian Ambassador to India Kheir El Din Abdel Latif on India-Egypt relations.

TRAVEL & TOURISM: TOURISM AS COLONIAL NOSTALGIA

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Claudia Bell conjures up the exotic delights of Namibia –– its picturesque desolation, opulent lodges, enchanting wild life –– and asks whether all this romantic mythmaking is neo-colonialism in disguise.

68 BOOKS & IDEAS 76 DOCUMENTS 76 INCREDIBLE INDIA 71 CONTRIBUTORS

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Printed and Published by Pavan K. Varma, Director-General Indian Council for Cultural Relations Azad Bhavan, Indraprastha Estate New Delhi - 110002 Editor: Manish Chand ISBN 0001-9828 6

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), founded in 1950 to strengthen cultural ties and promote understanding between India and other countries, functions under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. As part of its effort, the Council publishes, apart from books, six periodicals in five languages –– English quarterlies (Indian Horizons and Africa Quarterly), Hindi Quarterly (Gagananchal), Arabic Quarterly (Thaqafat-ul-Hind), Spanish bi-annual (Papeles de la India) and French bi-annual (Recontre Avec l'Inde).

Africa Quarterly (Indian Journal of African Affairs) is published in May, August, November and February.

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November 2005

A F R I C A

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■ Foreword

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India-Africa Ties a Role Model

ndia’s relations with Africa have been built on the strong political foundation of the past. Today, we are looking at more contemporary challenges in the form of faster economic growth and the welfare of the peoples of our countries. Last year saw the visit of more than twelve Heads of State from Africa to India. This demonstrates the huge amount of goodwill that is present between India and Africa and the close relations shared between our leaders.

Africa today is the largest recipient of India’s technical cooperation programmes and we have so far extended more than $1 billion worth of such assistance, including training, deputation of experts and implementation of projects in African countries.

Over a thousand officials from sub-Saharan Africa receive training annually in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.

We have also provided direct assistance to a number of countries in response to humanitarian emergencies or in the context of longer-term development projects. The External Affairs Ministry’s ‘Aid to Africa’ programme provides the resources for these projects.

In the area of human resource development, India continues to contribute to Africa. Annually, over 15,000 African students study in India, and Indian engineers, doctors, accountants and teachers are widespread in several African countries.

India has been one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping in Africa. We currently have 3,500 troops in DRC and a sizeable contingent in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

India supports the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). As part of our support to Africa, we have announced a line of credit of $200 million to assist the NEPAD’s objectives. Several projects in Senegal, Mali, Niger and DRC worth over $80 million have already been approved within the ambit of this programme.

We have also allotted a $500 million line of credit for TEAM-9, a new initiative between India and West Africa launched in March 2004. Projects to the tune of $280 million covering eight West African

countries have been approved against concessional lines of credit.

Africa’s interest in developing a closer partnership with India is reflected in the tremendous response generated by the CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnerships, which was held in Delhi from March 2-4, 2005. The event drew the participation of over 300 African delegates, including 25 ministers. It also threw up as many as 170 specific project proposals in which countries from Africa sought partnership with Indian companies. A follow-up event focusing on West and Central Africa was held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 to give a further impetus to this process. Over 140 delegates from 32 African countries participated in this event, which focused on building partnerships between the private sector in India and its counterparts in Africa, especially in the field of small and medium enterprises.

The Pan-African Network is a remarkable new project that attempts to add a fresh dimension to India’s partnership with Africa. The initiative for setting up a Pan-African Network was announced by the Hon’ble President during an address to the panAfrican Parliament in South Africa in September 2004. ISRO and TCIL thereafter worked closely with Rashtarapati Bhavan to prepare a detailed report on the proposed project that would aim to provide proto-types for tele-education and tele-medicine in all 53 members of the African Union. It would also set up a VVIP network providing video conferencing and VOIP facilities to all 53 Heads of State/Governments.

India and Africa are partners in the challenges being thrown up by the 21st century. On the strong foundations of friendship and understanding, they are seeking to build an edifice of cooperation which could prove to be a role model for the world. The first issue of a revamped African Quarterly hopes to focus on this cooperation. As three editions of this year’s Africa Quarterly could not be published due to unforeseen circumstances, we are bringing out this Special Edition.

November 2005

Pavan K. Varma

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Shashi Tripathi, centre, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, with heads of African missions in India, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on October 27, after signing an agreement on setting up the Pan-African Network.

Pan African Network: India’s dream project in Africa

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ndia’s dream project in Africa –– a satellite and fibreoptic network that will bridge the digital divide and provide tele-medicine and tele-education to 53 countries of the African Union (AU) –– is set to impart a new resonance to South-South cooperation.

The brainchild of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a wellknown space scientist and technocrat, the Pan-African Network (PAN) will revolutionise communication and accelerate development throughout Africa and replenish a huge reservoir of goodwill that already exists in Africa for India.

The project, expected to become operational by 2007, includes setting up a VVIP network that will link the presidents of all the 53 African countries who will have ready access to their counterparts through video conferencing and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) facilities.

Shashi Tripathi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Bernard Zoba, AU’s Commissioner for Infrastructure, signed the treaty at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on October 27. The historic pact was signed in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh and African heads of mission.

“The motivation behind this project is to help Africa bridge the digital divide and to share the expertise that India has developed in this field,” Tripathi said after the signing ceremony.

Kalam, who first unveiled the idea of PAN during his visit to the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa in September 2004, called it “a historic day in India-Africa relations” and prophesied that the project would become “a model for tech-

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no-economic cooperation between the two sides.” It would be the first step towards the development of a knowledge society,” added Kalam in a visionary tone.

Earlier, the network was estimated to cost $50 million, but with a request by the AU to maintain the project for five years, the cost has gone up to $63.7 million. “If any developed country had done this, the cost would perhaps have been 10 times more,” Tripathi said of the project that is funded by the MEA under its Aid-to-Africa Budget Programme.

The network would also help set up Internet and video conferencing services and support e-governance, e-commerce, infotainment, resource mapping and meteorological services connectivity. Describing the Pan African Network as the modern face of India-Africa ties, Tripathi said: “This is being done in the spirit of South-South cooperation and in the spirit of the long-standing friendship and the relationship that we have with Africa.”

Zoba fittingly captured the African enthusiasm for the project: “For us, it is a historic document because it actually goes to prove and to bring to fruition our main objective of the integration of the African continent. By this document which we have signed on telecommunication, the whole of Africa will be now available for communication.”

Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohammad, who is also Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, eloquently described the revolutionary potential of the project. “It is giving Africa-India relations a new substance and content. It is not only bridging the digital divide, it is bridging

November 2005

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the hope divide between the haves India through under-sea cables.

The network will connect five and the have-nots.”

The tele-medicine connectivity “It is in no uncertain terms a huge universities, 53 learning centers, enables the 10 super-speciality hos10 super-speciality hospitals contribution to the development of pitals to provide speciality services to South-South cooperation, a huge and 53 remote hospitals in the 53 remote hospitals that are fully contribution to India-Africa relaequipped with medical equipment 53 African countries. There will such as EGC, ultra scan and echo tions, and a huge contribution by the be two universities from India people of India to the people of machine in each location.

Africa,” he added.

Besides establishing the commuand three universities from The network will connect five nication infrastructure, the tele-eduAfrica; three super-specialty universities, 53 learning centers, 10 cation plan also includes setting up hospitals from India; the super-speciality hospitals and 53 five tele-education studios with postremote hospitals in the 53 African production set-up, non-linear editremaining seven of them will countries. There will be two univering facilities at each of the universities be from Africa. sities from India and three universiand data centres. This facility will ties from Africa; three super-specialhelp teachers interact with select stuty hospitals from India; the remaining seven of them will be dents in a sequence and also simultaneously collaborate with from Africa, official sources revealed. them in research. The network, therefore, has the potential to The Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd. (TCIL) transform the lives of ordinary Africans and will give a big push would implement the project in collaboration with the Indian to eliminate hunger, disease and illiteracy from the continent.

Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Indira Gandhi This network will make it possible for people living in National Open University (IGNOU), the All India Institute remote African villages to avail themselves of the best consulof Medical Sciences (AIIMS), both based in New Delhi, and tations and diagnosis available in big cities. Besides, the proother organisations will support the network. TCIL will man- ject enables speciality hospitals like AIIMS to be on call with age the network, which will have 169 terminals, for the initial three or four of the premier hospitals in Africa. period of three years.

“India and Africa have always been traditional allies and PAN will be a VSAT-based star network with 116 VSAT partners. So, we are now mobilizing our ammunition to tarterminals equally distributed across all the countries and a hub get, to defeat hunger and illiteracy through this very great prolocated in one of the countries. India has already set up tele- ject,” the Sudanese envoy said, as he waxed lyrical on what he medicine and tele-education hubs in Bangalore and called this “new phase” in India-African relations. “India is also Ahmedabad, respectively. It is proposed to link the hub of now scoring a lot in achieving the Millennium Targets as specPAN with the hubs of tele-medicine and tele-education in ified by the United Nations,” he added.

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India seeks South Africa’s gas-to-liquid technology

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ndia has sought technologies for conversion of gas to liquid fuels and coal gasification from South Africa to tap energy sources in marginal fields and coalfields even as Pretoria has expressed keenness for know-how on bio-fuels.

South Africa’s PetroSA has the world’s largest refinery utilising gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology and also uses coalto-gas technology to capitalise on its vast coal reserves to produce petroleum products.

During a meeting with Mputumi Damane, CEO of South Africa’s Central Energy Fund (CEF), the umbrella organisation for all energy-related matters in the country, India’s Petroleum Secretary S.C. Tripathi said GTL technology would help India tap gas resources in Tripura.

“We are particularly interested in getting GTL technology as it would be desirable to tap the marginal fields and also Tripura gas fields which have the capacity to produce five-six million standard cubic metres of gas per day,” said Tripathi.

He conveyed the keenness of Indian companies to explore other opportunities ranging from pipeline projects to distribution of petroleum products in South Africa.

“If we set ourselves specific projects we can move faster,” said Damane, who is also a board member of PetroSA.

Offering to convey India’s interest to the PetroSA board, Damane also informed the Indian side that the company holds 100 percent stake in Block 14 in Sudan, besides a stake in a gas field in Namibia.

Instead of waiting for the revival and next meeting of the Joint Working Group for government-to-government dialogue, both sides have decided to let the state-owned companies hold initial talks on transfer of technology and possible collaborations in third countries.

“If we go from project to project, we will be able to cement our relationship faster,” said Damane.

He revealed that a South African team had already been to in India to study possible collaborations, particularly in the area of bio-fuels, to tap the potential for development of rural areas. Among areas where South Africa has sought Indian expertise is bottling of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, or cooking gas) while India has sought collaboration in exploration activities apart from GTL and coal gasification technologies.

Representatives of Indian companies participating at the World Petroleum Congress in September reportedly held initial talks on collaboration and transfer of technology with South African companies.

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Mittal Steel emerges as South Africa’s No. 2 company

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ittal Steel South Africa, a former stateowned company taken over by London-based steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal’s LNM Group last year, has emerged as the top performing blue chip company over five years in South Africa. It has moved from fourth to second position in the annual list of the country’s Top 100 Companies.

Business Times, the supplement to the weekly Sunday Times here, showed that Mittal Steel SA had shown compound growth of 93 percent over the past five years, well ahead of its closest rival Edgars Consolidated Stores, a national clothing group, which had compound growth of 61 percent.

This was in a list of the 40 top performing companies on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange, a new grouping introduced for the first time this year after criticism about the annual Top 100 methodology, which allowed small companies to show high growth because it is easier for their share prices to rise dramatically. The Top 40 companies are meant to provide shareholders with steady earnings and growth in share price and dividends.

The Top 100 list, however, is based on the return on 10,000 rands invested for five years, where Mittal Steel SA was beaten into second place by construction company Grindrod, with compounded growth of almost 97 percent.

Mittal Steel SA is the result of a plan over the past four years which initially saw LNM entering into a Business Assistance Agreement with the then state-owned Iscor, founded in 1928.

A huge cash injection and technology transfer to turn around the ailing company grew to a stage where LNM acquired a

Workers at Mittal Steel SA and, inset, L.N. Mittal

majority shareholding of just over 50 percent and renamed the company Ispat Iscor two years ago before it finally became Mittal Steel SA. Revenue of 23 billion rand was acknowledged by Davinder Chugh, chief executive of Mittal Steel SA, as due not only to cost-cutting and efficiencies introduced by the management but also to the jump in world steel prices.

Described as the jewel in Mittal Steel SA’s crown, its steel mill at Saldanha has seen a dramatic change in recent years.

“Saldanha is an excellent case study of a turnaround of management,” Chugh told Business Times. “It used to make a loss of a billion rand. This has been transformed to a profit of one billion rand.”

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South Africa comes head-hunting to India

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South African team visited India from November 12 to 15 to look for engineers, teachers and IT experts for its skills-strapped public service.

At a parliamentary news briefing in Cape Town, Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said: “The initiative is part of a larger one looking at human resource development needs in South Africa.”

The visit focussed on training and short-term exchange programmes, and “secondment of experienced Indian civil servants to build management capacity and transfer skills.”

A second phase would see “a more comprehensive recruitment of techni-

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cal skills from India,” the minister said.

Fraser-Moleketi said she would head the team to seek financial managers, engineers, teachers, IT experts, and health professionals in India.

Shortage of skills, particularly engineering and technical skills, has been identified as a would-be constraint to the growth of South Africa.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has assigned a task team, led by his deputy Phumzile MlamboNgcuka, to seek ways to achieve a 6 per cent economic growth by 2014.

“In fact, the current skills shortage, especially of engineers and technicians, will impede growth, and at the rate at which we are producing these current-

November 2005

ly, we will not meet all our growth and development targets,” Home Affairs Deputy Minister Malusi Gigaba said recently.

A report by the South African Institution of Civil Engineering has warned of a dire shortage of civil engineers, technologists and technicians.

It said Transnet, South Africa’s state-owned transport utility, now had fewer civil engineers than those used to build a coal railway from Ermelo to Richards Bay. Most civil engineers in South Africa had moved into the private sector, and most of them were near retirement, it said.

Brain drain in social service delivery sectors, such as health and police, is also becoming serious in South Africa. ■

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India, Mauritius sign pacts on PTA, legal assistance

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ndia and Mauritius, the Indian Ocean island which is home to nearly an 800,000-strong Indian diaspora, strengthened their relations by signing pacts on a preferential trade agreement (PTA), the transfer of sentenced prisoners, mutual legal assistance and to facilitate the exploration of their coastal waters.

The seven pacts that were signed by the two sides also included memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of consumer protection and legal metrology, exchange of scientific and technical information, and cooperation in public administration.

These agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam after the two leaders held talks on a wide array of bilateral issues at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Ramgoolam was in the country on a week-long visit in October.

Ramgoolam also met with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and the chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition Sonia Gandhi.

The agreement on the transfer of sentenced prisoners and the mutual legal assistance treaty were signed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Mauritian Foreign Minister Madan Murlidhar Dulloo.

Navinchandra Ramgoolam

There are around 32 Indian prisoners in Mauritius. They will be brought back to India under the new agreement where they will serve their remaining sentence. The legal assistance treaty aims at fostering and promoting better cooperation among police and investigative agencies in both the countries and envisages sharing of information and data relating to crimes and criminals.

The MoU on PTA expresses the intention of the two sides to enter into a PTA in near future. The PTA is expected to boost Mauritian exports and provide India a platform to tap into the burgeoning African market.

Under the MoU on hydrography, the Indian Navy will undertake a survey of the coastal areas of Mauritius.

The MoU between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India and

Mauritius Standards Bureau (MSB) provides for the exchange of information and documents in the field of standardisation. The pact envisages the exchange of scientific and technical information pertaining to this field.

The agreement between the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and Government of Mauritius covers cooperation in various areas connected to public policy and public administration. The focus would be on structuring of government and organisational adjustments, institutional support to government and management of public enterprises.

Earlier, Ramgoolam, while addressing business leaders, made a strong pitch for a framework Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) between India and Mauritius as a “bold step forward” which will lead to freer movement of capital, goods, services and people between the two countries.

Ramgoolam, son of Mauritius’s first prime minister, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, revered as the father of the nation, was also conferred an honorary degree by the Jawaharlal University (JNU). He was elected to head a coalition government in Mauritius July this year. The 58-year-old leader first became prime minister in 1995. Ramgoolam also travelled to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kochi in Kerala during his visit.

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India’s exports to Africa climb 63%, China’s rise by 48%

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ndia seems to be catching up with China on the African trade trail. Though China remains the world’s leading exporter to Africa, India’s exports to Africa grew 63 percent in the first quarter of 2005-06 while China’s tally was just 48 percent. During the April-June quarter this year, India exported goods worth Rs. 70 billion to 49 African countries.

India’s imports, excluding petroleum products, during the same period grew 35.5 percent. Both the growth figures are higher than those registered by India’s total exports and imports during the period, which are growing at 20 percent and 33 percent, respectively. This has made Africa one of the fastest-growing trade destinations for Indian goods, comprising 6.8 percent of India’s total export basket in Q1.

According to industry experts, India could have been on a level-playing field with China had industry grabbed the

first-mover advantage. A senior CII official said trade between the two economies accelerated after the first conclave on Indo-Africa trade partnership held earlier this year.

India’s policymakers feel the second conclave, that was held in November, will give further impetus to two-way trade. Navdeep Suri, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, was quoted as saying: “The conclave is expected to remove apprehensions that Indian businessmen may have about Africa.”

“For instance, not many in the Indian community know that many African economies like Botswana, Ghana, Senegal and the whole of North Africa enjoy a higher sovereign credit rating which puts them in the same league as Brazil and higher that that of other leading emerging economies such as Turkey and Indonesia.”

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Debt relief not enough, help Africa to develop: India

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sking the international community to move from “rhetoric to action” on the issue of helping Africa, India has said that the rich countries should provide assistance to the continent on a sustained basis to put it on the path of development rather than responding to crises.

While welcoming the decision of the industrialised nations to reduce or write off debt of heavily indebted African nations, Indian delegate Suresh Kurup, said the emphasis should be on investment in Africa’s human resources and development of the private sector, apart from increase in aid levels and debt relief.

Intervening in the debate on ‘New Partnership for Africa Development’ (NEPAD) in the U.N. General Assembly, Kurup, a Member of Parliament, said Africa essentially needed additional financial assistance over an extended period of time to meet its human needs and development goals, and the international community needs to remain engaged during the transition period from relief to development.

Stressing that Africa holds the key to its own development, Kurup said the objective of development would be best served by an African-led and African-developed agenda. “The issues and challenges facing Africa, and their solutions, are best known to African countries themselves.”

Asking the international community to move from “rhetoric to action”, the lawmaker cautioned against the new initiative meeting the fate of earlier ones, most of which

failed to live up to the promises they made.

Observing that India has consistently endeavoured to be a friend and partner of Africa in its development efforts, Kurup said New Delhi’s objective has been to impart a substantive economic content to the relationship. “Despite limited resources, India has, over the years, made contributions to several Africa-specific funds and programmes. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme has over many decades provided a framework for enhancing cooperation between India and the African countries,” he noted.

Over the past six months, he told the delegates, projects worth $84.30 million have been approved within the framework of NEPAD line of credit and several projects, supported by India, have been approved. Besides, India has “fairly extensive” investments in a number of African countries.

Referring to the assistance India is providing, Kurup said it has started work on a connectivity mission in Africa which will support tele-education, tele-medicine, e-commerce, e-governance, resource-mapping and meteorological services.

“The seamless and integrated satellite, fiber optics and wireless network, to be provided by India, will connect five universities, 51 learning centers, 10 super-specialty hospitals and 53 patient-end locations in rural areas spread all over Africa and would put in place a network providing video conferencing facilities connecting all 53 heads of state/government in Africa,” he told the 191-member Assembly.

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Ahamed’s visit to Sudan establishes ‘high-level political contact’

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ndia and Sudan strengthened their political and economic ties during Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed’s visit to Sudan in early November.

This was the first official visit from India to Sudan after the formation of the Government of National Unity in Sudan in September as envisaged under the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

“The visit was aimed at establishing high-level political contact with the Sudanese Government of National Unity,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Ahamed represented India at the signing of the historic peace treaty in Nairobi in January this year between the government of Sudan and SPLM leader John Garang. He also represented India at the donors’ conference on Sudan in Oslo in April where India pledged a grant of $10 million, and a concessional line-of-credit of $100 million for the reconstruction of that country.

Ahamed discussed with Sudanese leaders the possibility of expanding cooperation in other areas such as infrastructure development, power generation, water supply and management, agriculture, education, information technology and health.

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Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed at the Donors’ Conference on Sudan held in Oslo, Norway, on April 12, 2005.

A F R I C A

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‘Made in India’ exhibition held in Johannesburg

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he “Made in India” exhibition held in Johannesburg in November attracted some 60 Indian participants, some of whom were optimistic about contacts established during the event.

The third exhibition of its kind over the past few years, the event featured a diversity of Indian industry, from small-scale entrepreneurs to automotive component manufacturers and even large companies that are well-established in South Africa, such as the Tata Group and Mahindra & Mahindra.

The expo was organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the office of the Indian consul-general in Johannesburg. For the first time, the Indian Health Ministry’s Department of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and the Department of Science and Technology participated in the exhibition to highlight alternative forms of medicine and health pioneered by India.

“We are highlighting the courses run in India and the research work done there in the areas of traditional and natural health and medicines,” said Dr. Ishwar Basavaraddi of the The inauguration of the ‘Made in India Show’ held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 16 to 20. Seen in the photo are, from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi. left, Iqbal Meer-Sharma, deputy director general, Department of Trade Sanjay Grover, director, CII, said the exhibition was not a & Industry, Government of South Africa, Carl Neiehaus, chief execuconsumer show but a trade exhibition that was intended to cre- tive, Gauteng Economic Development Agency, Johannesburg, and ate awareness more than actual sales, and the real success would Satyabrata Pal, High Commissioner for India, South Africa. only be gauged after contacts made had tages for South Africans with the “Made “The ‘Made in India’ been followed up in coming months. in India” exhibition. exhibition is a fantastic Commenting on the participation of the “It brings India to those South African Council for Scientific and Industrial companies that are not able to travel to opportunity for joint Research (CSIR), Grover said: “They India. Secondly, it is wonderful that we ventures between India have 39 laboratories in India and are very have such a diversity of products, which and South Africa in the strong in patenting intellectual property shows the diversification of the trade baswork, and they may not be doing any context of black economic ket between India and South Africa. business here but the idea is that they cre“Finally, it’s a fantastic opportunity for empowerment. It also ate awareness about the capability of joint ventures between India and South brings India to those India.”

Africa in the context of black economic Consul-General of India Suresh Goel empowerment.”

South African countries said: “The aim of the exhibition has been Among the exhibitors were compathat are not able to travel to project India as a complete country nies that were into the manufacture of to India” said Iqbal which is modern; which offers lifestyles, agricultural machinery and farm equipgoods and technologies that could be ment, automobiles, chemicals, cosmetics Meer-Sharma of South developed in partnership with South and toiletries, construction industry, Africa’s Department of Africa.” drugs and pharmaceuticals, electrical Trade and Industry.

Monika Handa, assistant director of appliances, garments, gems and jewellery, the Automotive Component handicrafts, herbal products, information Manufacturers Association of India, who led a delegation of six technology and communication, leather products, petromembers, had mixed reactions about the event: “Some of the chemicals, plastic and linoleum products, research and develcompanies are very happy and some of them are a little disap- opment, services, hospital management, hospitality, building pointed because the flow did not result in the kind of business material, textile machinery and accessories, as well as those they were expecting. But otherwise all the companies are very involved in the tourism sector. keen to do business with South Africa and, after this first visit, According to the organisers, professionals related to the they have seen a lot of potential in this country and will come fields of agri products, engineering products, garments, back again.” medicines, petrochemicals, hospitality, electrical appliances, Iqbal Meer-Sharma, who represented the South African healthcare products, tourism, water management visited the Ministry of Trade and Industries, said there were three advan- exhibition.

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BHEL chosen to set up mega power plant in Sudan

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he state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. Cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs, the project (BHEL) has been selected for a $500 million would utilise part of the first half of a $100 million line of credturnkey power project in Sudan, the second- it extended by India for economic development in the counlargest Indian investment in the African try during President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s visit to Sudan in nation.

October 2003.

The 500-1,000 MW power generation project in White “The first tranche of $50 million line of credit has been used Nile State in central Sudan would make BHEL the largest up for projects by RITES Ltd., a feasibility study by TCIL to Indian investor in the country after the Oil and Natural Gas set up a cyber city, solar electrification of 1,000 villages, Corporation (ONGC), said Sudan’s Ambassador to India, strengthening a power grid transmission line and setting up a Abdalmahmood A. Mohammad. solar power equipment plant,” the Ambassador said.

Other than equity participation in “For the remaining $50 million Sudan’s Finance Minister is three exploration blocks in Sudan, line of credit, various candidates have ONGC has completed a 741-km oil expected to arrive in New Delhi approached us to undertake projects products pipeline project in the like setting up a railway line, bridges for the signing of the agreement, and seaport, and rehabilitation of country. said Ambassador industries. Being an agriculture econ“The agreement to start the proomy, we are also keen to benefit from Abdalmahmood A. Mohammad. ject will be signed by the end in India’s experience in green revoluDecember,” Mohammad told Africa Its cost is to be shared, with tion,” he added.

Quarterly on the sidelines of the India contributing $350 million Mohammad, who is the Dean of Third Indo-Arab Conference organthe African diplomatic corps in India, and the remaining $150 million ised by the Associated Chambers of called for greater linkages between Commerce and Industry of India being borne by Sudan.

India and the Arab world in his (Assocham). address. He highlighted the fact that “Technical and financial discusnearly 15 percent of India’s trade is with the Arab world and sions are on to finalise the turnkey project agreement for power nearly two-thirds of its energy requirements are met from the generation and transmission which will help Sudan meet half region. “Interaction between India and the Arab world can its power needs,” he said. greatly benefit from Third World option as well as multilaterSudan’s Finance Minister is expected to arrive in New al funding, taking into consideration the membership of both Delhi for the signing of the agreement. Its cost is to be shared, regions in the different international grouping, financial and with India contributing $350 million and the remaining $150 economic institutions,” he said. While “the Arab world has the million being borne by Sudan. capital, India has the opportunities”, he noted.

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Angola, Nigeria seek development as India eyes more oil blocks

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eading African oil and gas producers like Nigeria and Angola have told India that participation in their economic development on the lines of China and South Korea is key to winning exploration blocks.

“While expressing keenness on Indian participation in their exploration and other petroleum activities, both Nigeria and Angola have conveyed that preference will be given to those offering attractive economic packages,” said Petroleum Secretary S.C. Tripathi, who led the Indian delegation to the World Petroleum Congress in South Africa.

“How much share you get in a block, they say, depends on the economic development package you give,” Tripathi explained.

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In August, India’s state-owned ONGC Videsh Ltd. got only a smaller 25 percent stake in two prime Nigerian offshore blocks despite the highest bid, while South Korea’s national oil company was awarded a 65 percent stake with additional weightage being given for its plans to build a gas pipeline, a shipyard, a rail link and a power plant.

Similarly in Angola, ONGC Videsh lost out to the Chinese in the race for a 50 percent stake in an exploration block being offloaded by global energy major Royal Dutch Shell on the same yardstick.

During presentations at the petroleum congress, African countries emphasised that participation in infrastructure and other development projects

November 2005

would be key to their favouring a particular bid for oil blocks.

With large areas of Africa still underdeveloped, the oil-rich nations in the region are using the promise of their exploration blocks to lure investments in infrastructure and development projects.

“The two African countries have asked us to work out economic packages to include projects like roads, ports, and refineries as well as other infrastructure projects,” a senior Indian official said.

About 180 blocks in Nigeria, including several awarded during earlier rounds and likely to be relinquished by holding companies, will soon be up for grabs.

Angola, too, is expected to invite bids for offshore blocks in January 2006. ■

A F R I C A

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South Africa witnesses biggest ever Diwali celebrations

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outh Africa enjoyed the biggest public Diwali celebrations in its history this year as local and expatriate Indians, black and white communities got together to mark the Hindu festival of lights across the country.

The most historic event took place at the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, where Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were imprisoned. Many other prominent South African freedom fighters were also confined in this former prison, earlier known as The Fort.

The celebrations were hosted jointly by the Indian mission here and the City of Johannesburg. Taking part in the celebrations, city mayor Amos Masondo said: “The Constitution Hill is a symbol of the struggles of the people of India and the people of South Africa. We are indeed proud that Gandhi lived and led the Passive Resistance Campaign in this city.”

Masondo said plans were under way to mark the centenary next year of Gandhi’s famous speech on the steps of the old Imperial Theatre in downtown Johannesburg, which set in motion a powerful campaign of resistance against oppression and injustice.

“Mandela and Gandhi continued the

tradition of Lord Rama, who many thousands of years ago fought a valiant and sterling battle against the formidable demon Ravana, said Masondo.

“The message of Diwali is simple, yet profound, and retains its importance to this day. The message of Diwali reminds us that we need to look deep within ourselves to assist in fighting the evils of racism, poverty, xenophobia and discriminations that afflict our societies.”

Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal regaled the audience with his eloquent address. He narrated a tale of how a foreign diplomat visiting India to assist in peace talks with Pakistan at Diwali time had feared that India had exercised its nuclear option when he heard massive fireworks explosions.

The evening was rounded off with a performance by a visiting Maharashtrian

Lavani Music and Dance group and local Zulu dancers. As the performance raised the spirits, a number of dignitaries including the city mayor joined the dancers on the stage.

A fireworks display was organised in Johannesburg and in the Indian dominated township of Lenasia, where thousands gathered at the Rameshwar temple. At the temple, South African Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said he had brought his young children along so that they could remember later in their lives the proud heritage that Indians have.

While the events in Johannesburg were the first of their kind, the annual beachfront Diwali Festival attracted thousands of people of all races in Durban, where the majority of South Africa’s 1.2 million Indians live.

Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was present at the celebrations as the guest speaker. In his speech, Ngcuka compared the heroics of Lord Rama with Mandela and Gandhi.

“The story of Lord Rama needs to be told from generation to generation, enhancing goodwill among our people and bringing them all together,” he told a crowd undeterred by bad weather with rains.

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Playback singer Mohammed Salaamat thrills South Africa

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musical troupe led by Bollywood playback singer Mohammed Salaamat delighted an audience in South Africa’s commercial capital with a lively rendering of film songs. Salaamat, on a month-long tour of South Africa with his troupe, sang immortal favourites of his idol, the legendary playback singer Mohammad Rafi, and had the audience pleading for more at the Emperor’s Palace entertainment centre in Johannesburg.

Accompanied by the energetic and lively Roshan Rahi, Sulbha Nandkishore, Sheetal Ambekar and Mohammed Asim, Salaamat again showed that he knows exactly what South African audiences want. He last visited South Africa three years ago. Salaamat drew from his repertoire of 700 songs that he has recorded of Rafi.

Although Salaamat also performed a few more recent playback songs, including the title song of the film ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, with which he got his first break in the industry, it was left largely to other artists to provide the balance for the younger set in the audience. The remix versions of oldies by Roshan and Sheetal proved quite popular.

Of the female singers, the younger Sheetal appeared to be more confident on stage as she belted peppy numbers. Sulbha was more reserved, with more serious songs in both solo and duet items.

Mimic artist Vicky provided the excellent band of six musicians with a break halfway through. The tour also took the group to Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and other areas over the month.

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Doing Business with AFRICA The new architecture of India-Africa relations is bound by three Ts –– Technology, Trade and Training –– and the expanding horizons of business partnership between the two giants was outlined at a landmark conclave held in the Indian capital recently, writes Manish Chand

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echnology transfer, trade and training –– this is the new trinity that binds a modern India and a resurgent Africa on the cusp of a defining transformation in their age-old relationship. As these two giants get ready to take their place under the global sun, the spotlight is now on the burgeoning business relations between them. Indeed, Africa has emerged as the new land of opportunity for Indian business and industry. And what is more important, India is being increasingly perceived as an equal partner that, unlike the West, has an emotional stake in empowering and enriching Africa.

The resounding success of the ‘India-Africa Project Partnership 2005: Expanding Horizons’ held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 underscored the huge potential for fur-

ther expansion of business and trade relations between the two sides. The conclave, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM India), organised in collaboration with the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of External Affairs, was attended by 160 delegates from 32 African countries and led to over 600 one-on-one meetings between them and Indian entrepreneurs. Over 70 projects, valued at above $5 billion, were discussed at the conclave.

The first conclave of this nature and scale was organised earlier this year (March 2-4) to develop a model for promoting partnership between the government and the private sector for enhancing India’s participation in the development priorities of African countries. The March conclave was a big success resulting in advance information on 178 projects valued at $6 billion and the signing of 12 MoUs. More than these impressive statistics attesting to a new confidence in the blossoming India-Africa ties, what made the conclave a memorable one was the sheer energy and enthusiasm among delegates coming from diverse backgrounds but charged by the thrill of a new voyage and new horizons. For three days, the venue of the conclave sported a carnival-like atmosphere radiating the new exuberance and vitality that has come to characterise an old relationship.

Ideology, reminiscent of an earlier era of a shared struggle against colonialism and imperialism, was clearly outdated, with the spotlight shifting to technology and development. “India looks forward to participating in the African renaissance –– much as we did in its struggle against colonial domination and apartheid. And we believe we can make a genuine contribution because our own development experience bears a special relevance to Africa’s requirements,” K. Natwar Singh, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who delivered the valedictory address at the Africa conclave, with Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem External Affairs Minister, said in his inaugural Mohammad, Sudanese Ambassador and Dean of the African address.

Shashi Tripathi, Secretary (West), captured the Diplomatic Corps.

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November 2005

A F R I C A

Q U A R T E R L Y

new note in bilateral ties: “This is a new era. We are in a tech- Mauritius, Algeria and Ghana. nological age. We have to forge a new relationship based on The conclave discussed a diverse array of subjects like raisthe architecture of new technologies.” ing trade and investment as well as avenues of technology “Earlier, relations between India and Africa were based on transfer and the need to address education and training different factors like the struggle against colonialism, cold war requirements in Africa. Delegates extensively discussed the and ideological battles of that time. Today’s issues are those of need for more enhanced Indian investment in vital sectors of bread and butter,” said Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Africa’s economy like infrastructure, information technology, Affairs and International Cooperation Momodu Karoma. agriculture, agro-processing, health care, pharmaceuticals, “What we in Africa are looking for now power, transport and construction. are technologies better equipped to tackThe need for enhanced synergy in le Africa’s needs like food, agro-processsmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) ing, health and rural development... attracted considerable attention, with Technologies in India are more robust speaker after speaker stressing on its huge and are better suited to the African enviemployment generation potential and its ronment.” capacity to make a difference to the lives Stressing on the spirit of self-reliance of ordinary people. that animates African nations, Zaddock Promoting and sustaining linkages to M. Syongoh, Assistant Minister in the improve business ties between the two Kenyan Ministry of Trade and Industry, sides was also discussed. The ‘Focus said: “What we are looking from India is Africa’ programme, started in 2002-03, technology transfer and value addition. initially focussed on the Sub-Saharan We don’t want sweets; we want machines region with emphasis on the seven major to produce sweets.” trading partners of the region, namely Navdeep Suri, Joint Secretary (West Nigeria, South Africa, Mauritius, Kenya, Africa) –– he has since been named Ethiopia, Tanzania and Ghana which “This is a new era. We are in a Consul General of the Indian together account for around 69 pertechnological age. We have to Consulate in Karachi –– was quite cent of India’s total bilateral trade impressed with the “high quality of forge a new relationship based with the sub-Saharan region. The participation” in this conclave.

‘Focus Africa’ programme has been on the architecture of new “There was a great deal of enthusiasm subsequently extended to cover 17 technologies.” among delegates. The conclave also more countries –– Angola, Botswana, helped to cement relations with –– Shashi Tripathi, Secretary Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, countries like Sierra Leone and (West), Ministry of External Affairs Namibia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau with whom we didn’t Uganda, Madagascar, Seychelles, have substantial relationship in the Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Algeria, Libya past. We hope that the initial contacts made during this con- and Morocco. clave will produce a number of project ideas which will furEXIM India manages many financing and support prother strengthen our relations with African countries and help grammes to promote India’s trade and investment in the in their development.”

African region. The bank has 27 operative lines of credit This is no rhetoric, but a bare statement of the new buoy- (LOCs) in the African region, including those extended with ancy in the India-Africa business relations. The African econ- the support of the government of India. omy has been steadily growing, registering an all-time high in Y.C. Deveshwar, president, CII, however, believes that combined real GDP last year. Africa’s real GDP registered a there is an urgent need “to re-engineer India’s trading pattern” rise of 5.3 percent during 2004, up from 4.6 per cent during with Africa as the India-Africa trade is “unfortunately skewed” the previous year. High oil and commodity prices, macro- both in terms of regional representation and in terms of prodeconomic stability and progress in structural reforms are cited ucts. Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa account for two-fifths as the main reasons for the economic performance of the of our exports and more than half our imports from Africa.

African region. Real GDP growth of the African region is proBesides, diamonds from South Africa make up a substanjected to touch 5.9 percent in 2006. tial proportion of our imports, with other imports being India-Africa bilateral trade has risen from $967 million in restricted to cashew nuts, metals and other primary products.

1990-91 to $9.14 billion in 2004-05. India’s exports to Africa Our exports are somewhat more diversified but dominated by have risen from $394 million in 1990-91 to $5.4 billion in pharmaceuticals and transport equipment.

2004-05, accounting for 6.8 percent of its total exports.

Clearly, even as both sides continue to engage more freSouth Africa replaced Nigeria as the preferred destination quently at such result-oriented fora, there is need for sober for India’s exports during the fiscal year 2004-05, accounting reflection and genuine introspection. for 17.8 percent of total exports to Africa. Other major export President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, while delivering his valedestinations include Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Sudan, Togo, dictory address, fittingly pointed out the dangers of hype and

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placed the burgeoning business relationship in perspective. He spoke of the need for dovetailing business opportunities with the larger project of nation-building.

“There is a large scope for improvement in the quality of output which has resulted from these two conferences. That would need active participation from both governments, focussed programme definition by industry captains and also creation of clearance mechanisms for a faster decision process by both countries,” said Kalam.

Kalam also held out hope for mitigating the AIDS epidemic in Africa, saying that an effective AIDS vaccine would be available within five years.

In his professorial style, Kalam gave the audience a vivid demonstration of his pet idea –– integrated nation building –– and how the Indian experience could be used to empower and enrich Africa.

Although the focus of the conclave was expanding horizons of business partnership between India and Africa, the meet brought out the broad contours of a new architecture of IndiaAfrica ties based on shared values and destiny.

As Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohammad, Sudanese Ambassador and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, pointed out: “India-Africa relations are central to the continent’s strategy for recovery and revival.”

Shashi Tripathi encapsulated this new optimism and the sky-is-the-limit mood. “We in India are sanguine that the 21st century belongs to India and Africa,” she said to loud applause from both Indian and African delegates.

“The spirit that guided Gandhi and Nehru is now showing us the way towards economic independence. We hope that the same spirit guides us in the future,” said the Kenyan Minister Syongoh.

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‘Indian technology is more suited to African conditions’

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deology is passé and technology is the new force binding “India has addressed issues of disease and poverty better India and Africa, says Sierra Leone Foreign Minister than Africa over a period of time. Generic drugs are far more Momodu Karoma. cheaper in India than anywhere in the world,” he added.

“Ideology doesn’t play a prominent role any more. Now it’s Karoma also sounded enthusiastic about India and Africa much more important to seek welfare of the people rather than joining hands to get their rightful place under the U.N. sun. fight abstract ideological battles,” Karoma told Africa Quarterly Trying to play down feuding among African nations on the in an interview here. issue of U.N. reforms, he said: “Africa is falling prey to a lot “Earlier, relations between India and Africa were based on of divisions and infighting. That’s why everyone can’t agree on different factors like the struggle against colonialism, the cold how to proceed. Africa should seize the opportunity to take its war and ideological battles of that time. Today’s issues are rightful place in history. This is an opportunity that can’t be those of bread and butter,” said Karoma, who was here to missed. But the only way to do is to do it step by step. attend an India-Africa conclave.

“There is a commonality between our ambitions. India as The conclave, ‘India-Africa a sub-continent is looking for a INTERVIEW Project Partnership 2005: Expanding Security Council seat and Africa is a Horizons’, was organised by the continent seeking two seats in the ‘Technologies in India are more Security Council.”

Confederation of Indian Industry robust and are better suited to (CII) and the Export-Import Bank of Karoma was all praise for India’s India (EXIM India), in collaboration the African environment. On the help in peacekeeping operations in with the Department of Commerce Sierra Leone five years ago. India sent and the Ministry of External Affairs. contrary, technology in the West over 3,000 troops who formed the is very fragile and sensitive to “What we in Africa are looking for backbone of the U.N. Assistance now are technologies better equipped the environment,’ he said, while Mission in Sierra Leone. He also to tackle Africa’s needs like food, lauded the Indian community in his outlining the “exploitative” agro-processing, health and rural country for amalgamating itself with nature of costly Western development,” said Karoma, who is the mainstream culture of Sierra also the Minister for International Leone. “There is a high presence of technologies.

Cooperation. “In short, technologies Indians living in Sierra Leone, with in India are more robust and are betchildren who were born and raised ter suited to the African environment. On the contrary, tech- there and are therefore Sierra Leonians,” he said. nology in the West is very fragile and sensitive to the environAn admirer of Hindi films and things Indian, Karoma ment,” he said, while outlining the “exploitative” nature of recalled a childhood spent watching Bollywood films. costly Western technologies.

“Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan were The Minister, who was taught by an Indian teacher, is very popular stars in Africa when I was young. Shah Rukh upbeat about the future of the India-Africa relations. “We are Khan is a huge hit now.” And what is it about Bollywood that engaged in a partnership for South-South cooperation that appeals to him? gives meaning and substance to people’s lives. India has “Most Bollywood films are stories of love, deceit and stress achieved food security. This is one of the chief challenges con- on family values that have a powerful resonance in Africa,” said fronting Africa. We have a lot to learn from India.

Karoma, with a twinkle in his eyes.

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Tata cars, buses and trucks on an African safari

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he Tatas, one of India’s top business groups, are the new stars in Africa whose popularity often surpasses that of Bollywood icons who are a favourite in the continent.

Go to Senegal and you will find a fleet of Tata buses blithely cruising good, bad and indifferent roads in the country.

“We are extremely grateful to the Tata buses for making our life easier,” said a Senegalese official who was in New Delhi for the ‘India-Africa Project Partnership 2005: Expanding Horizons’ conclave, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and EXIM India.

Tata Motors is working on a World Bank project to replace locally assembled vehicles with buses that are more in sync with the needs of public transport.

“Africa is the focus region for the Tata Group. We got the tender in Senegal against stiff competition from European competitors,” P.G. Shankar, a senior executive with automobile major Tata Motors, told Africa Quarterly. “Transport is in total disarray in most African countries. That’s why we decided to offer transport solutions. We provide them with a package deal that includes training, service, maintenance and market support. We have also invested in technology transfer.”

The Tatas are hoping to repeat their Senegal success story in South Africa where they are planning to replace taxis with buses. Trade unions connected with the taxi trade are vehemently opposing it, but the Tata executives are confident that

they will eventually get a share of the business in the country’s revamped transport system. “There is really no alternative," said a Tata executive.

There are around 15,000 to 20,000 Tata vehicles engaged in transporting passengers and goods in Africa. Dharmendra Thoria, regional head of the Africa Division of Tata Motors, said: “Our product is easily adaptable to environment conditions. Besides, we have a great after-market support and training system in place.”

Besides the vehicles segment, the Tatas are also planning to entrench themselves in other sectors like chemicals, software and IT. In Morocco, Tata Chemicals is involved in a project to manufacture fertilisers. Tata Infotech and Tata Consultancy are working on various projects all over Africa.

Tata Motors has made inroads into the South African car market, selling more than 500 units of its premier models Indica and Indigo since their introduction six months ago.

Tata Motors and Tata Africa have already announced a range of passenger cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses for the South African market. The Tatas set up their first company in Africa in the 1970s. Today, they are upbeat about business prospects in the continent and predict an exponential growth in the African market. Tata Motors won the CII-EXIM Bank ‘Award for Business Excellence’ for its commercial vehicles business unit at the conclave.

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‘India showing us the way to economic independence’

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enya has made a strong pitch for India’s inclusion in The Minister said he is optimistic about the G4 countries the U.N. Security Council and said that Africa trusts –– comprising India, Japan, Brazil and Germany –– and the India more than the West and China in its pursuit of African Union presenting a common plan for the expansion technical and economic self-reliance. “India is like an elder of the U.N. Security Council. brother to Africa and showing us the way towards technologCompared to the West and China, Africa’s bonds with ical and economic independence. We want the elder brother India are emotional and non-exploitative, the Minister said. to be in the U.N. Security Council,” “Ideologically and in terms of moral INTERVIEW Zaddock M. Syongoh, Assistant authority, we don’t trust China. But Minister in the Kenyan Ministry of with India we are emotionally “What we are looking from Trade and Industry, told Africa attached,” he said. “We can quarrel India is technology transfer Quarterly in an interview. in the morning and eat a meal in the “The spirit that guided evening. We trust India because it and value addition. We don’t (Mahatma) Gandhi and (Jawaharlal) understands us and will not allow us want sweets; we want Nehru is now showing us the way to be exploited.” machines to produce sweets,” towards economic independence.

Upbeat about the emergence of We hope that the same spirit guides stressed Zaddock M. Syongoh, Africa as the new investment destius in the future,” said the dapper nation for India, he said: “Fifty years Assistant Minister in minister, in New Delhi to attend an from now, we see a transformation of Kenya’s Ministry of Trade India-Africa summit.

Africa into a major trading partner.”

“India inspired Africa to struggle The Minister said he was confiand Industry. for its independence. India imparted dent that India would help its leadership to the Non-Aligned “younger brother” Africa to achieve Movement that cushioned Africa from the cold war between technological self-reliance in the days to come. “What we are the two warring blocs,” he said. “India deserves to speak for us looking from India is technology transfer and value addition. at international fora and we shall give you the support as you We don’t want sweets; we want machines to produce sweets,” seek a seat in the Security Council. he stressed.

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‘India is an ideal PARTNER OF AFRICA’ In one of his last interviews as External Affairs Minister, K. Natwar Singh tells Manish Chand that the evolution of India-Africa ties is “a dynamic process that is constantly reinventing itself” even as both sides remain committed to the core values of an equitable world order.

Q: What kind of role do you envision for India in the resurgence of a new Africa on the global stage?

A: Africa, in fact, is already undergoing resurgence. This is reflected in the fact that the GDP of 20 African countries is now growing consistently at over 5 percent per annum. Twothirds of Africa has seen multi-party elections in recent years.

The principles of democracy and good governance are being embraced around the continent. Despite ongoing problems in a few countries, there is no doubt in my mind that we are witnessing a broad-based resurgence in the African continent.

India has always enjoyed exceptionally warm relations with Africa. We hope to be Africa’s trusted partners as this great continent moves to take its rightful place in the international arena. A number of countries in Africa see India as a role model for our accomplishments in sectors as diverse as agriculture and small industries on one hand and IT and space technology on the other. There is a growing recognition that India can be an ideal partner in economic development and a reliable source of affordable products, services and technologies.

Q: Relations between India and Africa have been traditionally warm and mutually reinforcing, and marked by idealism and a shared struggle against colonialism. Do you see the need for reinventing India-Africa relations as “equal partners” to fight common problems like poverty and illiteracy? What should be the components of India’s ‘Focus Africa’ policy?

A: India’s relationship with Africa should not be seen through the prism of a static timeframe. It is a dynamic process that is constantly reinventing itself with the passage of time even as we remain committed to the core values that bind us. We certainly see ourselves as Africa’s partner in its quest for better education and health care. In his address to the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa in September 2004, our President announced an initiative to develop a Pan-African Network that would demonstrate the benefits of tele-education and tele-medicine to all countries in Africa. Our scientists and technologists have subsequently prepared a detailed project report which was formally endorsed by the African Union in July 2005. We have already signed a formal MoU with the

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African Union on this project. This would kick off the implementation of this landmark project in a phased manner throughout the African continent.

Q: India is still hopeful of the African Union (AU) joining hands with the G-4 for expansion of the U.N. Security Council.

How confident are you of Africa’s support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council?

A: As we observe the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, there is a unanimity among the member-states that the United Nations is in need of urgent and comprehensive reform. The United Nations must become more democratic, transparent and efficient in order to deal with the myriad challenges of today’s world more effectively. Its structure and institutions must reflect the contemporary realities and not those of 1945. The consensus of the member-states on various proposals on U.N. reform, as reflected in the Outcome Document of the Millennium Review Summit held in New York in September this year, provides a good basis to carry forward our endeavours on this vital issue.

The reform and expansion of the U.N. Security Council, in both permanent and non-permanent categories, is central to the process of U.N. reform. There is a widespread and growing feeling that the democracy deficit in the governance of the U.N. must be rectified by a reform of the U.N. Security Council. The initiative of the G-4, of which India is a member, presents an excellent opportunity for the empowerment of developing countries from Africa, Asia and other regions.

This initiative has been steadily gathering support and is being carried forward; efforts to harmonise the positions of the G4 and the African Union are continuing.

We are grateful for expressions of support by a very large number of countries in Africa for India’s candidature for a permanent seat of the U.N. Security Council. Our close engagement with our friends in Africa on all aspects of U.N. reform, particularly on the issue of UNSC reform, is continuing, and it is our hope that we would rapidly move forward towards the achievement of our shared objectives.

Q: What is the relevance of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and South-South cooperation in the post-Cold War unipolar world? What can India and Africa –– the twin pio-

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neers of NAM –– do for revival of the NAM? Africa. Bolstered by a $500 million line of credit, the TEAMA: The basic philosophy of NAM, in my opinion, is as rele9 programme is already beginning to transform our relationvant today as it was when it was founded by Pandit Nehru ship in this region. We have approved projects worth $282 along with other world leaders. The end of the Cold War has million in the TEAM-9 countries and the success of this proin no way reduced the relevance of the NAM. The basic pringramme is reflected in the fact that we have received requests ciple of NAM can be enunciated as the right of each country to expand the group through inclusion of a number of other to mould its foreign policy as per its own national interests countries. without being influenced by pressures exerted by other counQ: Bilateral trade between India and Africa is far below potentries, power blocs, etc. By closely cooperating together, India tial. What can be done to expand trade and economic relations and Africa have shown the world that they are in a position between the two sides? to chart their own destiny and utilise their national resources, A: While no doubt the bilateral trade between India and Africa manpower, etc., to best serve the interests of their people. This is below its true potential, I would like to point out that there is a vindication of the NAM Charter and an ideal example of has been a substantial growth in our exports to Africa in recent South-South cooperation. years. This is borne out by figures.

Q: India has been an active participant in We are constantly reviewing how our the New Partnership for Africa’s commercial and economic relations with Development (NEPAD). How do you see various African countries can further the future of India’s participation in expand. Promoting exchange of visits by NEPAD? business delegations from India and A: We see the NEPAD initiative as an Africa, regular holding of trade fairs and extremely important step taken by Africa exhibitions in various African countries, to regain charge of its own destiny. The signing of PTAs/FTAs wherever possible, principles and objectives of NEPAD have providing lines of credit, etc., are some of won the admiration and support of the the measures being taken by us for fosinternational community. The developtering our economic and commercial ties ment of the African Peer Review with Africa.

Mechanism (APRM) is a particularly Q: How do you envisage India’s role visremarkable creation to support the prinà-vis various regional organisations of ciples of good governance in the political Africa like AU, SADC and ECOWAS? and economic spheres. In recognition of A: We attach great importance to our these endeavours, India has committed a links with regional organizations like the concessional line of credit of $200 million AU, SADC and ECOWAS. We are makto the NEPAD programme. I am happy We are grateful for support ing special efforts to develop our relations to say that we have already approved proby a very large number of with these regional blocs. The first meetjects to the tune of $84 million under this ing of the Indo-SADC forum is schedcountries in Africa for line of credit. uled to be held in December in this year.

India’s candidature for a Q: India has had strong relations with Q: What kind of cooperation is possible eastern and southern Africa, but the same permanent seat of the U.N. between India and Africa in various mulcan’t be said of its relations with West and tilateral fora and institutions?

Security Council. Our Central Africa. Likewise, we have shared A: There is a great similarity of perspeca better rapport with Anglophone Africa close engagement with our tive between India and Africa on various than Francophone Africa. What can be regional and international issues. This is friends in Africa on all done to raise India’s profile in these relaaspects of U.N. reform is natural considering that they both share tively neglected regions? a common history of colonial rule and continuing, and it is our A: I think it would be wrong to say that have been facing similar challenges in we do not have close relations with coun- hope that we would rapidly their attempt to overcome the legacy of tries in Western and Central Africa. After move forward towards the poverty, backwardness, illiteracy, etc. all, our ties with giants like President India and Africa have been cooperating Senghor of Senegal, President Nkrumah achievement of our shared closely in various world fora and I am of Ghana and President Lumumba of the sure they would continue to do so. objectives.

Democratic Republic of Congo are a Q: Finally, what, according to you, are matter of historical record. There are, nevertheless, other promising areas of growth that can impart a new dimension and countries in Francophone Africa where we have not enjoyed resonance to the India-Africa relations? a similar relationship. We are conscious of this fact and have A: Indo-African relations are poised to grow in all fields. made a serious effort to address this anomaly. A specific examHowever, among the areas which hold special promise one ple is the TEAM-9 programme that was launched in 2004 to may mention IT, small-scale industries, agriculture, human establish closer ties between India and eight countries in West resource development and capacity-building.

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BRAVE NEW Knowledge Society Girijesh Pant outlines an emerging partnership between India and Africa in creating a brave new knowledge society and maps out a growing symmetry of interests between the two in a globalising world.

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ith the onset of the globalisation process, the mode of transactions among the nations is undergoing a qualitative shift, redefining the trajectory of their relations. India-Africa relations are no exception to it. Africa is not a homogenous entity and the pattern of interaction between India and the African countries has been varied in nature. It will continue to be diverse in the future too.

Globalisation has, however, ushered radical changes in interstate relations and diplomacy. It would, therefore, be a useful exercise to establish a tentative roadmap and explore a framework within which the future relationship between India and Africa can grow and find new forms.

Though de-territorialisation is remapping the region, Africa remains relevant classification in terms of economic, political and social expanse, carrying over the legacy of an unequal exchange of the colonial past and of the neocolonial present.

It is ironical that of the 50 countries classified by the United Nations as the least developed, 34 are found in Africa.

Measured in terms of its share in global wealth, investment and trade, Africa remains on the margin of the emerging global trends.1 What is more alarming is the fact that, in the age of globalisation, the continent is increasingly being pushed out of the mainstream. It is more a part of exclusionary processes than of inclusion. No wonder it is lagging behind in accessing the gains of a new technological revolution. It is still struggling to overcome the structural rigidities inhibiting it to be engaged with the global information-communication-technology (ICT) regime. While the initiatives have to be local, their global dimensions demand that Africa also needs facilitating external support. Certainly, India could be a partner in this endeavour.

In the globalising economy, information and knowledge are the principal source of development. The rise of the “knowledge economy” is reconfiguring the nature of resource endow-

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ment and the comparative and competitive advantages that accrue from it. The economic regime of the manufacturing, industrial economy of the 20th century is being redefined by the time-space compression where resource is information and knowledge and where intellectual capital is the asset.

Knowledge has always been a factor of production, and a driver of economic and social development. Earlier economies depended, for example, on knowledge about how to farm, how to build and how to manufacture. However, the capacity to manipulate, store and transmit large quantities of information cheaply has increased at a staggering rate over recent years.

The digitisation of information and the associated pervasiveness of the Internet are facilitating a new intensity in the application of knowledge to economic activity to the extent that it has become the predominant factor in the creation of wealth.

As much as 70 to 80 percent of economic growth is now said to be due to new and better knowledge.2 This has enhanced the importance of human capital in the development processes of the globalising world economy. Companies are outsourcing their activities to cut down the cost by employing human capital all over the globe. Estimates are that over 70 percent of workers in developed economies are information workers; many factory workers use their heads more than their hands.

The knowledge economy differs from the traditional economy in several key respects:3 ■ The economics is not of scarcity, but rather of abundance.

Unlike most resources that deplete when used, information and knowledge can be shared, and actually grow through application.

■ The effect of location is diminished. Using appropriate technology and methods, virtual marketplaces and virtual organisations can be created that offer benefits of speed and agility, of round-the-clock-operation and of global reach.

■ Laws, barriers and taxes are difficult to apply on a solely national basis. Knowledge and information “leak” to where demand is the highest and the barriers are the lowest.

■ Knowledge enhanced products or services can command price premiums over comparable products with low embed-

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Local students outside an Indian software coaching centre in Nigeria. (Photo: Courtesy, Ministry of External Affairs)

ded knowledge or knowledge intensity. Pricing and value depends heavily on context. Thus, the same information or knowledge can have vastly different value to different people at different times.

■ Knowledge, when locked into systems or processes, has higher inherent value than when it can “walk out of the door” in people’s heads.

■ Human capital is a key component of value in a knowledge-based company, yet few companies report competency levels in annual reports. In contrast, downsizing is often seen as a positive “cost cutting” measure.

From Knowledge Economy to Knowledge Society for Sustainable Development

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ronmental issues alone. Its social dimensions are becoming equally alarming. Thus, the knowledge economy, too, will have to address the twin dimensions. The point is underlined here because the new economy is further reinforcing the economic disparities in the form of a pronounced digital divide. However, a public policy that is sensitised to these consequences could address the issues by employing the knowledge resources for equity.

“Knowledge has become the key resource. Knowledge has value, but so too does knowledge about knowledge. Creating value is about creating new knowledge and capturing its value. The most important property is now intellectual property, not physical property. And it is the hearts and minds of people, rather than traditional labour, that are essential to growth and prosperity. Workers at all levels in the 21st century knowledge society will need to be life-long learners, adapting continuously to changed opportunities, work practices, business models and forms of economic and social organisation.”5 In the context of knowledge economy and sustainable development it is necessary to spell out that the present discourse on the subject is predominantly carried on in the market perspective where knowledge is seen as a commodity.

Secondly, it is also assumed that the developing world is suffering from knowledge deficit. The validity of these formulations depends on the very definition of knowledge. What the

Africa is still struggling to overcome the structural rigidities inhibiting it to be engaged with the global ICT regime. While the initiatives have to be local, their global dimensions demand that Africa also needs facilitating external support. Certainly, India could be a partner in this endeavour.

hough knowledge is the currency of the new economy, it may fail to generate the processes correcting structural deficits faced by the developing countries if it does not addresses the issue of sustainability. Sustainable development is increasingly emerging as the main challenge facing the world as prosperity continues to remain unevenly distributed, triggering discontent that often assumes violent forms.4 It needs to be underlined here even at the risk of digression that the present crisis of terrorism has further reinforced the urgency of sustainability of development. The concept of sustainable development, however, is no more confined to envi-

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The Entrepreneurial Training and Development Centre in Dakar, Senegal, that was set up with Indian technical and financial assistance. The $4.5 million centre was set up after an agreement was signed by the Prime Ministers of India and Senegal during the G-15 Summit in Harare in November 1996. (Photo: Courtesy, Ministry of External Affairs)

developing world lacks is the ICTIn the Ministerial Roundtable, The synergy of ICT and local based processes of information proUNESCO, October 2003, knowlknowledge will trigger the cessing and data-mining technoloedge societies are defined in followgies. But they have enough undering terms: structural changes making standing of their habitat to negotiate developing countries overcome ■ Establishes relationship between a country’s scientific capability and its with the developmental needs. What their structural prosperity. is required, therefore, is that the ICT ■ Stresses science and technology as is taken as infrastructure to make use underdevelopment. This will wellspring for knowledge creation. of local knowledge to address develalso ensure social cohesion, ■ Calls on public/private sectors to opmental issues. The synergy of ICT thus meeting the twin concerns invest in science and technology and local knowledge will trigger the capacities, including research and structural changes that will enable of sustainable development. development, science education, and developing countries to overcome electronic networks for science and their structural underdevelopment.

This will also ensure social cohesion, thus meeting the twin research ■ Highlights affordable access to scientific content, such as concerns of sustainable development.

Clearly, the sustainability of a knowledge society presup- publications and databases as a critical development priority. poses a qualitative shift in the knowledge base, including ■ Stresses need to identify and preserve traditional knowledge, human skills. Further, the societies have to be constantly to apply ICT to make it available to all, and to establish approengaged in innovative mode. This means fast changes in the priate links with modern science. skill needs. This could raise the serious issue of employability of the people in the job market. In other words, the issue of Africa: Building Knowledge Society sustainability has to address the challenges of the fast rate of for Sustainable Development obsolescence of skills in the digital production processes. frica, too, is engaged with the processes aimed at build“Lifelong learning must become a key public policy focus, ing a knowledge economy. Though by global stanand highlights the mutually reinforcing importance of the ecodards the continent has yet to build ICT infrastructure nomic and social strands to successful knowledge society development.”6 In fact, the concept of knowledge society goes to have accessibility at a scale to minimise the danger of the digbeyond the defined technological parameters. It “includes a ital divide, the more serious issue is to conceptualise the paramdimension of social, cultural, economical, political and insti- eters defining the knowledge at the present stage of developtutional transformation, and a more pluralistic and develop- ment and the corresponding processes of capacity-building. It mental perspective. It better captures the complexity and is rightly observed that “knowledge-driven sustainable develdynamism of the changes taking place. The knowledge in opment must be pursued more forcefully to narrow the growquestion is important not only for economic growth but also ing knowledge divide, which will not be achieved in large parts for empowering and developing all sectors of society. Thus, of AKSs (Africa Knowledge Society) without a profound the role of ICTs extends to human development more gener- reform of knowledge. Knowledge pursuits must better serve ally, and, therefore, to such matters as intellectual cooperation, sustainable development. For this, AKSs must seriously take lifelong learning and basic human values and rights.”7 up the tremendous knowledge challenges they face. They

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must invest massively in knowledge to improve the social soil of the languages of the concerned populations. and environment on which it grows, keep abreast of knowl- ■ The utilisation of ICT technologies will advance the geoedge development, set in motion dynamic knowledge-creat- graphic and political unity of the African continent and ing processes, reduce knowledge deficits, free knowledge from strengthen, expand and facilitate growth of the African econimpurities, strengthen knowledge infrastructure and institu- omy for the betterment of our peoples’ lives.

Building an information society requires the construction tions, fight knowledge obsolescence and increase knowledge performance. They must embark on a new adventure of and maintenance of an adequate ICT infrastructure. The New knowledge and realise a knowledge renaissance for knowl- Partnership for Development (NEPAD) recognises ICT as the priority sector. It is proposed that under NEPAD, the region edge-led sustainable development.”8 Clearly, the roadmap to a would enhance telephone knowledge society for suslines by 100 percent at lower tainable development would costs, improving reliability of demand a networking of the communications services. local communities, their Under the leadership of knowledge and information Alpha Oumar Konaré, forin the ICT infrastructure for mer Malian president and validation and dispersal and current chairman of the sharing. This means a wide Commission of the African infrastructure and access to Union, an e-Africa the target community like in Commission has been set up. the areas of rural technoloBut knowledge society is not gies, rural agriculture (e.g., merely the development of farming systems), environinfrastructure. While it is the mental rejuvenation and its Students at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in ICT, responsibility of the state to above, which was inaugurated in 2003 in Accra. The India-Africa sustainable utilisation, educa- Partnership has also seen joint collaboration in the field of education, develop national infrastruction, primary health care, etc. below. (Photos: Courtesy, Ministry of External Affairs) ture policies that are affordAfrican countries are making able and sustainable, the role efforts to move towards of civil society is central to building ICT infrastructure. make it all-inclusive. “Africa’s The Organisation of African civil society’s participation in Unity (OAU) has adopted the information society is cruthe Africa Information cial for the promotion of susSociety Initiative. tainable and balanced develThe Africa preparatory opment. This includes the conference for the World promotion of human develSummit on the Information opment that is equitable, susSociety (WSIS) has in its tainable, holistic, inclusive of Accra Commitments outall sectors of society, gender lined the following priorities, responsive, participatory, to be adopted at a conference people-centred and Afro-cenin Tunis: tric. The civil society can provide Building an information society leverage to influence policy and ■ Building the information society requires the construction and must be inclusive of all stakeholders ensure that strategies and plans including the government, as well as maintenance of an adequate ICT enable the development and the private sector, civil society and the building of an information society infrastructure. The New United Nations and other regional based on social justice and human Partnership for Development and international organisations. development.”9 ■ Building the information and It is also necessary that the market, (NEPAD) recognises ICT as the shared knowledge society will conthe key player in ICT, be sensitised priority sector. tribute to achieving the Millennium “to invest in and deliver services and Development Goals (MDGs) to infrastructure to under- and unimprove quality of life and eradicate poverty by creating oppor- served areas with particular sensitivity to the needs of tunities to access, utilise and share information and knowledge. marginalised and vulnerable groups in society”. The point ■ The international community will tackle information soci- made here is that Africa, which has been the victim of the ety building on the basis of commitments to remove obstacles volatility of market prices for its resources, could face similar to bridging the digital divide. situation if the local resources for knowledge society are not ■ Building an inclusive information society requires the use developed. This requires development of “local information

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resource centres and to build capacity to produce and collect accurate and relevant local content in official and national languages and lingua franca taking cognizance of oral and traditional forms of communications”. The contribution of civil society, however, depends upon its digital literacy. It is rightly observed that, “Digitally literate civil society can make intelligent use of a mix of ICT tools to provide information to others on policy issues, engage citizens and government in policy processes and increase participation in national, regional and global ICT governance issues.” Africa needs the critical mass of digitally literate to transform the knowledge economy to knowledge society. Education is the essential enabler of knowledge society. It is here that India can play a vital role.

box” approach in giving developmental content to its relations with Africa.

One such initiative has been the to send 500 farmers to cultivate land in the East African nations by the Andhra Pradesh government. It has signed letters of intent with Kenya for 50,000 acres and with the Uganda Investment Authority for 20,000 acres. The Indian farmers would work as entrepreneurs and landowners, not as labourers. Authorities in East Africa signed the agreements to give land on a 99-year-old lease to a farmers co-operative society from Andhra Pradesh. Land in Uganda is being given for $3.75 per acre while the government is still negotiating the price for Kenya.12 While India’s Africa policy has to work towards the facilitation of these processes, it has to go beyond. The policy ought to work towards those issues where Africa faces difficulty in India-Africa Relations: Building Knowledge Society meeting developmental goals due to structural factors. The he changing global premise of relations among the market would not be moving to these areas. One area where countries demand that the India-Africa relations are Africa faces such difficulty in the context of globalisation is the correspondingly redefined. As pointed out earlier, building of a knowledge society. Again, as observed earlier, it India’s engagement with Africa has been on a larger canvas has to essentially be an indigenous effort, yet there are areas ranging from trade in commodities, where India.s engagement could be Software production is a investment, industrial collaboration, conceived. technical cooperation, etc. This proOne promising area could be the potential entry point for Africa file will continue to grow as the two education for ICT. The knowledge into ICT production. Compared markets recognise the mutual comsociety requires not only skills for to hardware, it is less capital plementarities. The ‘Focus Africa’ ICT but also analytical skills and programme is a recognition of the intensive, more labour intensive, effective communication. This special emphasis on Africa in Indian and has a longer shelf life. While requires an education system geared foreign policy. It aims “at providing a towards it. As observed by Dr. K.Y. there is a limited pool of functional framework for sustained Amoako, executive secretary, partnership between India and indiEconomic Commission for Africa, expertise in this area in Africa, vidual African countries, as well as “Software production is a mantra to Indian software houses face a with regional groupings in the contiIndian excellence. India has also been large-scale migration of human aggressive in the development of lannent. This framework would utilise our core strength of strong demoguage infrastructure through IT –– resources. Nonetheless, there cratic values, our steady economic are opportunities for African IT an area of considerable interest to growth, our large pool of scientific Africa, given its multiplicity of lancompanies to work with Indian guages. Software production is a and technical manpower and a diversified experience in development.”10 potential entry point for Africa into counterparts in gaining skills, It is taking special measures to proICT production. Compared to hardresources and new software mote bilateral commercial ties by ware, it is less capital intensive, more development culture and quality. labour intensive, and has a longer extending credit lines.

India is looking for augmenting shelf life. While there is a limited pool exports in fields like machinery and of expertise in this area in Africa, transport equipment, petroleum products, paper and wood Indian software houses face a large-scale migration of human products, textiles, iron and steel, plastic and linoleum products, resources. Nonetheless, there are opportunities for African IT rubber manufactured products, agro products, chemicals, and companies to work with Indian counterparts in gaining skills, pharmaceutical products. These countries can also be impor- resources and new software development culture and qualitant sources for import of petroleum, metallurgical goods, raw ty.”13 It may, however, be pointed out while India has an cotton, fruit, vegetables and preparations, chemicals, non- advantage over Africa in this sector, the premise of a future relametallic mineral manufactures, precious stones, textile yarn, tionship in the ICT sector lies primarily on the common objecgold, nickel, and ferro-alloys.11 Further, these countries offer tives the two are pursuing, namely, “creating opportunities potential for investment in sectors such as tourism, pharma- for local communities to benefit from ICTs by providing supceuticals, electronics, computer software and accessories, infor- port (seed money for local innovation on low-cost and appromation technology related products, financial services and tex- priate technologies), enhancing private investment in ICT tiles. The table on the facing page provides the changing pace infrastructure, and promoting national and international supof the India-Africa trade. India is also pursuing an “out of the port for rural community-based access”.14

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Trade Figures for the Sub-Saharan Region (Period: April-March) Value in US$ Million Countries & Region Angol Botswana Lesotho Mozambique Namibia South Africa Swaziland Zambia Zimbabwe Southern Africa Bentin Burkina Faso Cameroon Canaryis Cape Verdeis Congcprep Equi Guinea Gaboin Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bisu Ivory Coast Liberia Mali Maurtiania Niger Nigeria Sao Tome Senegal Sierra Leone St. Helena Togo West Africa Burundi Cafri Rep Chad Malawi Rwanda Uganda Zaire Rep Central Africa Comoros Djubouti Ethiopia Kenya Malagasy RP Mauritius Reunion Seychelles Somalia Tanzania Rep East Africa Total Subsaharan India’s total % share

Exports 25.02 4.57 0.25 30.87 9.88 352.94 1.38 25.71 12.50 463.12 55.42 9.47 13.62 1.81 0.11 38.45 0.44 5.53 13.55 68.41 24.65 7.32 52.73 17.46 32.84 19.87 35.44 563.14 0.03 23.03 17.35 0.53 47.36 1048.77 2.53 0.75 4.20 20.47 4.03 55.59 3.63 91.21 2.36 16.22 90.83 156.01 13.17 162.91 4.89 5.73 15.03 90.78 557.93 2161.03 43826.72 4.93

2001-2002 Imports Trd. Bal 0.01 25.1 0.00 4.57 6.91 0.19 1440.90 0.21 13.49 18.49 1479.90 43.05 12.71 8.83 0.01

24.26 9.69 -1087.95 1.16 12.22 -5.99 -1016.77 12.36 -2.84 4.79 1.81

1.80

36.95

10.25 0.52 19.92 15.83 9.68 76.35 43.11 2.16 0.01 0.60 87.12

-4.72 13.04 48.49 8.82 -2.36 -23.62 -25.65 30.48 19.85 34.84 476.03

133.60 0.44

-110.57 16.91

10.85 476.83 0.07 4.55

36.51 571.94 2.47 -3.80

1.70 0.02 1.20 0.12 7.65 0.90 0.74 18.39 31.94 2.20 3.26 0.32 0.05 14.31 76.09 148.20 2112.58 51413.28 4.11

18.78 4.01 54.40 3.51 83.56 1.46 15.48 72.53 124.07 10.97 159.64 4.58 5.69 0.72 14.69 409.73 48.45 -7586.56

Exports 37.30 4.09 3.78 46.70 4.97 475.67 13.02 31.00 15.90 632.42 66.35 16.12 21.14 1.06 0.11 53.45 0.11 17.67 14.06 105.56 34.36 5.19 49.09 4.57 22.70 20.51 52.99 449.84 0.34 51.36 10.95 0.54 71.66 1067.62 4.53 2.94 1.13 30.82 6.17 65.98 4.31 115.89 6.39 37.43 62.05 203.66 14.71 164.96 5.00 6.18 19.93 115.54 635.85 2451.77 52234.40 4.69

2002-2003 % Growth Imports Trd. Bal Exports Imports 7.20 30.10 49.10 ....

0.01 4.08 -10.00 5905.48 0.01 3.77 1416.99 27.77 18.93 51.27 320.01 3.27 1.70 -49.73 1649.35 2089.57 -1613.90 34.77 45.02 0.45 12.56 843.59 110.57 14.40 16.60 20.57 6.74 14.02 1.88 27.22 -24.17 2156.68 -1524.26 36.56 45.73 38.19 26.16 16.12 -11.30 9.59 6.53 63.29 -24.56 6.57 14.57 55.18 -25.54 -41.36 1.97 3.25 50.20 39.02 80.93 0.01 0.10 -73.94 21.02 -3.36 219.65 105.09 4.52 9.54 3.76 777.61 18.63 86.92 54.30 -6.47 14.87 19.49 39.39 -6.10 47.39 -42.19 -29.04 389.35 85.90 -36.82 -6.90 12.52 2.22 2.22 -74.53 -94.84 19.79 2.91 -30.46 -817.18 0.02 20.49 3.25 74.52 0.06 52.93 49.53 -90.41 77.75 372.09 -20.12 -10.75 0.04 0.30 903.60 171.28 -119.92 122.97 28.20 4.14 6.81 -36.85 851.59 1.45 12.84 58.82 51.31 18.36 538.11 529.51 1.80 12.85 78.72 293.62 1.88 -0.74 -73.04 1.70 29.92 50.56 0.51 52.93 1.97 64.30 18.68 64.90 0.00 4.31 18.85 -97.86 5.56 110.33 27.05 -27.36 0.32 6.07 170.51 -61.47 0.82 36.61 130.73 10.83 10.55 51.50 -31.68 -42.63 33.44 170.22 30.54 4.68 3.94 10.77 11.71 79.28 16.13 148.83 1.26 394.58 0.22 4.78 2.18 -29.64 0.05 6.12 7.74 15.34 26.05 -6.71 32.64 86.20 91.14 24.40 27.27 19.77 183.27 452.58 13.97 23.66 2883.64 -431.84 135.45 364.50 61286.31 -9051.91 19.18 19.20 4.71

Data Source: DGCI&S, Kolkata Exchange Rate (April-March 2002) 1U.S. $ = Rs. 47.6919 Exchange Rate (April-March 2003) 1U.S. $ = Rs. 48.3953

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In this context, the India –– and 53 remote hospitals act PAN-African project establishas patient-ends. These will be ing a VSAT-based telefully equipped with medical medicine and tele-education hardware, cameras, and softinfrastructure is of great signifware to manage the patients, icance. Indian President A.P.J store and forward medical Abdul Kalam, during the inaurecords and analyse digitally gural session of the PANsigned prescription and advice African Parliament, on to the remote patients as an September 16, 2004, floated integrated package. the idea of connecting all the Data centres will be set up nations of the African Union for the management, mainte(AU) by a satellite and fibre nance, storage and retrieval of optic network to provide effecthe medical records. There will tive communication and conbe retrieval mechanism in each nectivity among the nations. hospital for its medical facilities.

“The network would connect Out of 53 tele-medicine termi53 African countries and its nals, 43 will be fixed terminals heads of state (and) primarily in the Remote Hospital and 10 provide tele-medicine, telemobile terminals installed in education, Internet and Voicemobile vans.17 Besides, it will link two uniOver Internet Protocol versities from India and three (VOIP) services and also is universities from Africa. It also proscalable and supports e-governance, Engaged in the process of vides network connectivity through e-commerce, infotainment, resource mapping and meteorological serdeveloping its overseas energy VOIP, videoconference and Internet connectivity to the heads of state of all vices.”15 The detailed project was policy and strategy, India submitted to the AU Commission the 53 countries. apparently intends to define its

by India in May 2005.

The PAN African network will be A technical committee was conVSAT-based star network with energy ties with Africa in the stituted by the AU to do a technical 116+53 VSAT terminals equally diswider context of cooperation. In review. It formed two working tributed over all the countries and a the Indian framework, Africa is hub located in one of the countries. groups, which after detailed deliberations for three days recommended India has already set up tele-medicine not merely a market. With the project for its adoption and and tele-education hubs at Bangalore energy gaining priority in the implementation. India was requested and Ahmedabad, respectively. It is African development agenda, to extend support for five years proposed to link the hub of PAN instead of three.

African network with the hubs of the African governments are “The MoU between India and tele-medicine and tele-education in equally keen to diversify their AU was signed in August 2005 by the India through under-sea cables.18 energy ties. Thus there is a Minister of Communication, before Energy: New Dynamics of India the start of the project in October very obvious synergy of 2005. Both India and the AU are interests between the two. In its Africa Relations working out the modalities for the strategy for overseas equity frica’s emergence on the MoU to kick-start the project soon. global hydrocarbon market India’s contribution to the promoparticipation, India places high and India’s search for energy tion of African connectivity and the premium on Africa. security has given a new dynamism to value-added services in the knowlthe India-Africa relations. Engaged in edge domain in the education, health care, e-governance and agriculture sectors will certainly help the process of developing its overseas energy policy and stratin the capacity-building activities of the African Union. Hence, egy, India apparently intends to define its energy ties with India is a partner to the African Union’s Millennium Africa in the wider context of cooperation. In the Indian frameDevelopment Goals and continues to work for the promotion work, Africa is not merely a market. With energy gaining priof development and share the best of its experience to the ority in the African development agenda, the African governments are equally keen to diversify their energy ties. Thus developing nations of the world.”16 The project, estimated at $63.7 million, would connect five there is a very obvious synergy of interest between the two. In universities, 53 learning centers, 10 super-speciality hospitals its strategy for overseas equity participation, India places high

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premium on Africa. “Africa is our major destination for equity participation in the oil and gas sector as countries like Libya, Sudan, Algeria, Angola, Nigeria and many other small republics of Africa have considerable oil and gas reserves.”19 ONGC Videsh is looking for participation in West Africa for exploration and production of oil. Reportedly, “OVL is planning to pick up a substantial stake in two exploration and production fields in a West African country and has initiated talks with a European company. It is planning to pick up a 50 percent stake in one of the fields.” OVL has planned an investment of over $2 billion in acquiring 50 percent stake of a global oil major in a highly prospective offshore exploration block on the West African coast.20 The convergence between hydrocarbon deficit India and energy surplus Africa makes an obvious case for partnership.

However, energy deals are not merely economic in nature.

Energy resources have strategic and geopolitical importance.

Thus despite the ascendancy of market, externalities play a crucial role in defining the energy relationship. Political dividend and security concerns are important inputs in the decisionmaking process.

Besides, the hydrocarbon market carries its own deviations and distortions. It has been a highly integrated industry with a limited numbers of competitors. It requires active support from the state in overseas operations. Thus, the energy policy of the country participating in the global market gets intertwined with the foreign policy. As a new entrant, India faces

the disadvantages of a latecomer, besides the limitation of its capabilities in term of volume of investment and know-how.

But the absence of historical baggage could be a source of strength as well.

In the emerging African hydrocarbon market, India has to create its own niche by developing a distinct paradigm for its energy relationships. Market-driven relations might make the African supplier rich but not necessarily contribute to their empowerment.

Indian energy ties have to be embedded in the developmental framework. Africa needs to develop its energy resources for nation-building. The discontent of globalisation provides the space to countries like India to step in. Indian policy also has to take cognizance of competing interest in the market not only from America and Europe but also from Asia, particularly China.

In the context where pressure of global powers is going to be increasingly felt by the local governments in devising their hydrocarbon regime, India, along with other developing countries, could contribute in making a more competitive remunerative and developmental regime to ensure the security of the energy suppliers from Africa. Clearly, India-Africa energy relations have to be sensitised to contribute towards societal resilience.

There are enormous stakes for both India and Africa countries in this mutual development of their energy needs and infrastructure.

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REFERENCES

Society at National, Sub-regional and Continental Levels.’

The African Regional Preparatory Conference for the WSIS. 10. www.highcommissionofindia.com 11. http://www.africa-business.com/features/india_africa.html 12. ibid.

13. Dr. K.Y. Amoako, executive secretary, Economic Commission for Africa, ‘Enhancing India-Africa Cooperation in the Information Age’. http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/ speeches/amoako/2000/0412_india_africa_relations_in_info_a ge.htm 14. ‘India and the Knowledge Economy: Leveraging Strengths and Opportunities’, World Bank, November 8, 2004.

15. Pan-African e-Network –– an India and Pan-African countries Initiative.

16. ibid.

17. ‘Establishing a VSAT-Based Tele-Medicine and TeleEducation Infrastructure for Pan-African Countries’. http:// www.moc.gov.gh/modules.php?op=modload&name=News &file=article&sid=24 18. ibid.

19. From the Cabinet note prepared by the Petroleum Ministry. Alexander’s Gas & Oil Connections –– India and South Africa to sign agreement in hydrocarbon sector.

20. ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) Scouts in W Africa http://www.rediff.com

1. While the proportion of very poor people in all developing countries fell from 27.9 percent in 1990 to 21.3 percent in 2001, the percentage in sub-Saharan Africa has risen. This has also meant that the number of poor Africans climbed from 227 million to 313 million during the same period.

2. ‘Building the Knowledge Society’, Information Society Commission. http://www.isc.ie/downloads/know.pdf 3. ‘The Global Knowledge Economy: And its Implication for Markets’, ‘The Global Knowledge Economy’ (David Skyrme Associates).

4. UNDP Human Development Reports that document that the richest 20 percent of the world’s population receives 86 percent of the global income, while the poorest 20 percent receives just 1 percent. Human Development Report, 1999.

5. ‘Building the Knowledge Society’, Information Society Commission. http://www.isc.ie/downloads/know.pdf 6. ibid.

7. ‘Towards Knowledge Societies.’ An Interview with Abdul Waheed KhanUNESCO-CI.htm 8. Jacques L. Hamel, ‘Knowledge Policies for Sustainable Development in Africa: A Strategic Framework for Good Governance’ (Draft Working Paper).

9. ‘Africa Civil Society to Strengthen an Inclusive Information

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Imparting ENERGY to India-Africa ties Talmiz Ahmad provides an overview of Africa’s vast hydrocarbon reserves which have the potential of providing a radically new dimension to the burgeoning India-Africa ties.

I

ndia’s traditional commercial and civilisa- Algeria and Libya, were already principal oil-producing countional links with Africa acquired a special tries through much of the 20th century, it is only in the last value and substance when India, after its few years that the African continent as a whole has come to be Independence in 1947, led the struggle seen as a global oil and gas producer. In 2004, Africa as a whole against colonialism and imperialism at the produced 9.3 million barrels of oil per day (bpd), accounting world stage. India’s concern for Africa for nearly 12 percent of the world’s total production. Over the emerged from Jawaharlal Nehru’s simple last 10 years, sub-Saharan Africa has recorded an extraordinary assessment: “Though separated by the increase in production (over 51 percent), which is matched Indian Ocean, Africa is in a sense our next only by the CIS countries. door neighbour.” During the second half of the last century, With regard to natural gas, in 2004, Africa produced about India’s voice was particularly strident in the anti-apartheid 21,400 million cubic feet per day, accounting for 7.5 percent struggle, even as distinguished South of total global gas production. Over It is only in the last few years Africans of Indian origin participated the last 10 years, Saharan Africa and that the African continent as a sub-Saharan Africa have recorded actively in all aspects of this struggle, as associates of Nelson Mandela at whole has come to be seen as significant increases in gas producRobben Island, or through mass tion, of 70 percent and 89 percent, a global oil and gas producer. respectively. demonstrations organised by the In 2004, Africa as a whole trade unions, or even as part of the The positive outlook pertaining underground movement. to Africa’s hydrocarbon potential is produced 9.3 million barrels of In the post-colonial period, this attested to by new acreages being regoil per day (bpd), accounting country’s primary link with Africa ularly offered by different countries, for nearly 12 percent of the was through the Indian Technical significant new discoveries, and and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) world’s total production. Over active production activity supported programme, initiated in 1964, on the by infrastructure development. the last 10 years, sub-Saharan basis of which India shared its Nigeria has been, and is expected Africa has recorded an knowledge and expertise with thouto remain, Africa’s principal producsands of young Africans through er. Oil production began in this increase in production (over well-structured and meaningful country in 1958; it became an OPEC 51 percent), which is matched member in 1971. Today, Nigeria training courses. Over the last 40 only by the CIS countries. years, India has invested nearly $1 produces over 2.4 million bpd; in billion in these training programmes terms of oil reserves, Nigeria and almost every African country has benefited from them. accounts for 35,651 million barrels as against total African India’s approach has focused on strengthening the “South- reserves (at end 2004) of 105,000 million barrels, i.e., 34 perSouth” linkages and on promoting self-reliance through the cent. Nigeria also dominates the African gas scene, with 35 transfer of technologies aimed at meeting the needs of African percent of total African gas reserves (at the end of 2004) of 477 partner-countries. Today, annually, about 500 officials from trillion cubic feet (TCF).

Africa participate in various capacity-building programmes in In North Africa, Libya, Algeria and Egypt are the dominant India. players in the African hydrocarbon scene. The oil reserves of Energy now promises to add a new dimension to this tra- the North African countries are estimated at 46 billion barrels, ditional relationship. While countries of North Africa, such as with Libya having 65 percent and Algeria 20 percent of the total

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reserves in the region. Algeria produces 1.9 million bpd and ranks second in Africa, after Nigeria. Libya commenced producing oil in 1961; it ranks third in Africa, with production at 1.6 bpd. With the recent lifting of sanctions, Libya has offered several acreages for E&P contracts which have evoked considerable international interest. Egypt has so far been a modest oil producer, with most of its oil being used domestically.

However, gas discoveries in North Africa in recent years have significantly transformed the region’s hydrocarbon scenario. North Africa is estimated to have gas reserves of about 8 trillion cubic meters, with the principal sources being Algeria (57 percent), Egypt (21 percent) and Libya (16 percent). Algeria is the third-largest gas exporter in the world, after Russia and Canada, and is destined to emerge as a significant player in the Officials of India's oil major OVL Ltd. at a drilling site in Sudan. OVL has picked up a 25 global energy security scene. It was the percent stake in the country’s Greater Nile Oil Project, a venture that is fuelling Sudan’s dream world’s first LNG exporter, and, in the of becoming a major oil-exporting power. imports 7 percent of global producmid-1970s, it became the world’s largest LNG producer. Algeria was also involved India’s investment in Sudan’s tion of oil, obtains 15-17 percent of its needs from West Africa; it hopes to in the setting up of the first trans-nationhydrocarbon sector increase this to 25 percent by 2015. al gas pipeline in the Mediterranean carcumulatively amounts to West Africa’s proved, probable and rying Algerian gas to Italy, and later to nearly $2 billion. The other possible reserves taken together are Spain.

Egypt has also now emerged as a glob- recent success for India has estimated at 35 billion barrels of oil al supplier of natural gas. With increased been in Libya where Indian and 151 TCF of natural gas.

However, in spite of major recent gas reserves discovered in the 1990s, companies, the Oil India discoveries, due to war, political Egypt began to develop its LNG capabilities. By 2006, Egypt is expected to proLtd.-Indian Oil Corporation instability and difficulties relating to physical access, much of sub-Saharan duce 17 billion cubic metre of LNG per (OIL-IOC) combine and Africa remains unexplored. annum, which may increase in later years.

ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), According to the U.S. Geological A pipeline is carrying Egyptian gas to Survey, West Africa’s undiscovered Jordan to fuel power projects; there are have between them won oil reserves could be as much as 72 plans to extend this pipeline to Lebanon three blocks in the face of billion barrels. In terms of oil-equivand Syria, and possibly even to Turkey stiff international alent, sub-Saharan total reserves and Europe.

In coming years, the principal procompetition. Recently, OVL could be about 121 billion barrels, i.e., more than these of North ducers in Saharan Africa will be also acquired shares in America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific Mauritania, Sudan and Chad, while the significant players in sub-Saharan Africa some E&P blocks in Nigeria. region and South Asia.

Significant reserves are available are expected to be Angola, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast. Though oil exploration even in areas that have been producing oil and gas for some began in Angola in 1910, the first commercial discovery was time, i.e., Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, and Congo-Brazzaville, made in the 1950s. Through the 1980s, in spite of the raging particularly in deep off-shore waters. Recent exploration activcivil war, there was extensive onshore exploration in the coun- ity has identified considerable potential in new areas such as try. In the 1990s, deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration Ethiopia and Niger, and in East and Southern Africa. East was started by major international oil companies and met with Africa is a relatively new area with considerable potential: An a high success rate. Mauritania, a new source, will begin pro- observer has described it as having “some of the greatest and most exciting exploration potential on the continent.” duction in 2006.

According to U.S. estimates, the exploration and producIntensive oil and gas exploration over the last 10 years has increased Africa’s oil reserves by 25 percent. The U.S., which tion of deep-water and ultra-deep water development in West

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Africa would require nearly $110 billion, up to 2020, with investment between $20-25 billion going just to Nigeria and Angola; the balance would to go Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo-Brazzaville during this period. However, these investments would, in due course, yield very rich returns: The five principal producers of West Africa would cumulatively earn about $800-900 billion up to 2020; Nigeria and Angola would earn about 80 percent of these returns.

cial scale GTL plant outside South Africa, in Qatar, which will commence producing ultra-clean diesel and naphtha in 2006.

This technology will also be used in Nigeria where natural gas, presently being flared, will be converted into premium fuel.

Africa’s rich hydrocarbon potential adds an entirely new and potentially very significant dimension to India’s ties with this continent. India is hydrocarbon deficit to the extent of 70 percent; this deficit is expected to increase to 85 percent by 2025. Hence, India’s quest for energy security has made it he discovery of Africa’s natural gas potential has signif- necessary for the country to pursue a pro-active oil diplomaicant politico-economic implications for the continent. cy to diversify its hydrocarbon sources as also to acquire hydroThe technological effort and the substantial investment carbon assets across the world through equity participation in required for exploration and development, and the transna- developed fields and through exploration and production contional character of the transportation of gas through pipelines, tracts and midstream and downstream joint ventures and all of these taken together mean that a narrow nationalistic and investments. unilateralistic approach in the gas sector is not viable, and needs In recent years, these efforts have already met with some to be replaced by regional and supra-regional cooperation. success in Africa. Nigeria is the second-largest supplier of The success of this new approach will mean that the spirit of crude oil to India, after Saudi Arabia, meeting about 12 perworking together in peace and friendship will have to replace cent of her annual needs. India’s first foray into Africa in equithe feuds and conflicts of the past between Africa’s authori- ty participation was the acquisition of a 25 percent stake in the tarian and corrupt regimes that have Greater Nile Project (GNP) in India recently hosted a frequently allowed their national Sudan, which is today providing assets to benefit narrow ruling oliIndia with about three million tonnes composite delegation from garchs and their time-serving coterof oil per year. This was followed by Nigeria made up of the ies, and instead will ensure that a contract to construct a 200-km ministers of power and steel, African resources will be used optiproducts pipeline from a refinery in mally for African growth and develKhartoum up to Port Sudan. India’s commerce and energy, the opment. investment in Sudan’s hydrocarbon chairman of the Nigerian Transnational gas pipelines prosector cumulatively amounts to nearRailways and the Special vide the greatest promise for the really $2 billion. The other recent success isation of such cooperative endeavfor India has been in Libya where Advisor to the President for ours. The West African Gas Pipeline Economic Development. This Indian companies, the Oil India Ltd.(WAGP) project is a multinational Indian Oil Corporation (OIL-IOC) delegation, over three days, gas transportation project initiated by combine and ONGC Videsh Ltd. Nigeria and Ghana. Valued at $560 conveyed its interest in linking (OVL), have between them won million, it will provide Nigerian gas three blocks in the face of stiff interNigeria’s E&P contracts to to Ghana, Benin and Togo. It is being national competition. Recently, OVL downstream and economic financed and implemented by a comalso acquired shares in some E&P bination of international and nationblocks in Nigeria. development proposals, al oil companies such as Chevron, particularly in regard to power hese early successes constitute Shell, the Nigerian national oil comand railways. the basis of a substantial longpany, NNOC, and the Volta River term engagement of India Authority of Ghana.

Even more ambitious is the proposed Trans-Saharan Gas with Africa across and even beyond the hydrocarbon value Pipeline going over 4,000 km from Nigeria to Algeria. In chain. India is well-placed to pursue such engagement. We Southern African, the Kudu gas project will exploit Namibian enjoy considerable goodwill across the continent for the role gas to provide fuel for an 800 MW power project which will our country played in the anti-colonial struggle as also for our deliver power not only to South Africa but also to the Southern ITEC programme that developed the knowledge base of at least three generations of Africans. But, beyond these strengths, Africa Power Pool.

Africa has considerable promise even beyond convention- the possibility of the success of Indian efforts is enhanced by al oil and gas reserves. Though not endowed with significant the fact that African countries are increasingly linking the hydrocarbon resources, South Africa has been a pioneer in the award of upstream E&P contracts to participation by interestdevelopment and use of unconventional fuels, particularly in ed parties in the midstream and downstream sectors (pipelines respect of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) and Coal-to-Liquid (CTL) and refineries) and, more importantly, in economic developtechnologies. These fuels meet 40 percent of South Africa’s liq- ment projects covering sectors such as railways, power projects, uid fuel requirements. The principal South African company and the development of domestic natural resources and infrasin this area, Sasol, is presently constructing the first commer- tructure. India, with its capabilities in the hydrocarbon sector

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and its national development experience over 50 years, is well Burkina Faso and Chad. The initiative is aimed at providing equipped to meet these challenges. investment and low-cost technology to develop infrastructure India recently hosted a composite delegation from Nigeria in core areas on the basis of favourable lines of credit worth made up of the ministers of power and steel, commerce and $500 million. This is separate from the $200 million offered energy, the chairman of the Nigerian Railways and the Special directly by India to NEPAD. These two offers, plus the develAdvisor to the President for Economic Development. This opment assistance offered directly to certain countries, adds up delegation, over three days, conveyed its interest in linking to nearly $1 billion.

Nigeria’s E&P contracts to downstream and economic develhe MoU signed on March 1, 2004, between India and opment proposals, particularly in regard to power and railways. eight African ministers of the partner countries of India has speedily responded to the Nigerian offer by setting Team-9, identifies the following areas that need priorup an inter-ministerial task force to pursue E&P proposals in tandem with specific power and railways projects in Nigeria. ity attention: Food security and freedom from hunger; health The Angolan government has also conveyed to India their security, and job security. Specific areas of cooperation are: interest in linking E&P proposals to economic development Rural development, transport, energy, telecommunications, offers, particularly the revival of mines and the upgradation of IT, small and medium enterprises, health services and pharroad, railway and port systems which have suffered serious maceuticals and agriculture.

India has also embarked on a unique hi-tech programme damage on account of the prolonged civil war.

India is at present pursuing three major transnational gas that, when completed, will provide extraordinary benefits to pipeline projects which will bring natural gas to her borders the region. India’s communication, educational, remote-sensfrom Iran, Turkmenistan and Myanmar. India is thus unique- ing and meteorological satellites have brought the benefits of tele-medicine, tele-education, ly placed to participate in African An important area for an Indian resource mapping and weather forepipeline projects. A proposal that has role in meeting Africa’s urgent casting to some of the remotest parts considerable economic and strategic of the country. During his visit to value for Africa and Asia would be requirements is in the Africa in September 2004, President the Egyptian project to take oil and development of human A.P.J. Abdul Kalam announced gas pipelines from Alexandria to the resources that will be required India’s willingness to share the benRed Sea, which would create a new efits of these technologies with “Suez Canal” for oil and gas transto explore and develop the Africa. The Indian Space Research portation, providing a convenient continent’s hydrocarbon Organisation (ISRO) has already access to India and the rest of Asia to North African and even Caspian potential. A pan-African initiative developed an ambitious plan to connect the 53 countries of Africa hydrocarbon resources. in this area that is already through a network that uses satellite, An important area for an Indian underway is AfricaArray, a 20fiber optic and wireless links. It is role in meeting Africa’s urgent year programme designed to envisaged that, in partnership with requirements is in the development of the African Union and individual human resources that will be required strengthen geophysics countries of Africa, a network will be to explore and develop the continent’s education and research and established that links learning cenhydrocarbon potential. A pan-African build a training and research tres, universities and hospitals in initiative in this area that is already underway is AfricaArray, a 20-year support system. India can make every African country with counterpart institutions in India that have programme designed to strengthen a useful contribution in this. proven expertise in these fields. geophysics education and research Africa’s substantial hydrocarbon and build a training and research support system. India, with her 70-year experience in the hydro- reserves hold the promise of economic development and proscarbon industry, and her numerous research and training insti- perity for the people of this continent who have for several decades suffered poverty, loss of dignity and exploitation. The tutions, can make a useful contribution in this initiative.

Beyond the energy sector, India’s recent engagement with challenge is to harness the resources generated by the energy Africa has been both novel and creative, and promises to con- reserves and invest them in all-round development of infrassolidate a deep political and economic partnership with the tructure, social and economic upliftment and the developcontinent over the long-term. In February 2004, India ment of human resources. This empowerment will enable launched a major techno-economic venture in Africa, titled the continent to obtain the highest standards of achievement, “Team-9” (Techno-Economic Approach for Africa India which are warranted by its ancient civilisation, the wisdom of Movement). Team-9 is a part of the New Partnership for its leaders, and the sincere commitment of its people to excel.

Africa’s Development (NEPAD) framework. It constitutes a India, with its traditional links with the continent and its expesubstantial, mutually beneficial engagement with eight rela- rience, both with developmental issues and in the hydrocartively under-developed but resource-rich countries –– Senegal, bon sector, can effectively partner the nations of Africa as they ■ Mali, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, march forward to meet their destiny.

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D I P L O M A T E S E

New Delhi-Khartoum: A new SILK ROUTE? …My mother called me ‘Blue Nile’ I am also named by mother, ‘White Nile’ When we grew and grew, we asked “Oh Mother, Oh Mother, Tell us, why did you name us ‘Nile’?”

Our mother said lovingly, “Oh my children You travel and travel Cross mountains, forests and valleys Thousands of miles, enriching nine countries You reach Khartoum You Blue and White Niles confluence with a Mission.

“God has commanded you to give a message You give a beautiful message When we rivers confluence.

Oh Humanity, why not your hearts confluence And you blossom with happiness.”

Sudanese ambassador to India Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohammad traces the centuries-old historical and civilisational ties between India and Sudan, and maps out a robust future for bilateral relations in diverse fields, including the development of hydrocarbon sector, and enhanced economic and commercial relations between the two countries.

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he above lines, highlighting the need for a confluence of hearts and minds, is penned by none other than the great humanist, poet and scientist of our times, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of the Republic of India. The occasion could not have been more significant than the first visit to Sudan in 28 years by an Indian President in October 2003. But, apart from the significance of the event, the Indian President, in his captivating poem, has perhaps captured a forgotten reality of the rich multifaceted interaction between this same River Nile Civilisation with the Indus Valley Civilisation several thousand years back. Was he recalling the great connectivity between two time-honoured hydraulic societies since the dawn of their common histories? Was his call for a confluence of hearts and minds a reiteration of a history of peaceful contacts between the people of the respective nations in which seas and oceans never acted as a barrier? Was he, from his hotel room overlooking the confluence of the two rivers in the latest climax of contacts between India and Sudan, recalling the first contacts between India and Sudan with their river-based civilisations? Though the answers are certainly, “YES,” the foregoing is a reminder that, rather than seeking comfort in the glorious past of the relationship of the two countries, there exists a proud historical legacy on which bilateral cooperation can be

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ferred its iron-based industries to Africa and beyond, with reciprocal influences evidenced by the introduction of irrigation techniques from India as shown by the introduction of Hafir construction, according to Arkell.

And according to Arkell ( the point is also made by Vycichl and Vercoutter), the presence of elephant figures at Naga and Mussawarat es-sofra with the snake and the three-headed figures of Apedemak demonstrates an Indian influence on the Meroitic culture. Vercoutter also suggested an Indian influence and resemblance in the Meriotic temple tradition. It is interesting also to note in this connection that Colonel John Spake, an officer in the Indian Army who was financed by the Royal Geographical Society and went to Africa in search of the source of River Nile from 1859 to 1861, had claimed that he secured help in his exploration from the ancient Hindu scriptures. And for over a thousand years, according to R. Coupland in his ‘East Africa and its Travellers’, Indian settlements existed around the same time as that of the Arabs in the seventh century.

Various current socio-cultural similarities between the peoples of both Sudan and India are certainly suggestive of strong historical engagements and considerable movements of peoples and ideas that were accumulated throughout history.

Perhaps, researchers are called upon to focus on such shared influences rather than looking for answers from the Mediterranean and Hellenistic worlds.

Trade flourished between Sudan and India during the Funj Sultanate. Sinnari sailors were known for their professional eminence across the Arabian Sea to the Indian Ocean. Goods like spices, ivory, gold, iron, gum, copper, wheat, sesame oil, cotton, etc., were exchanged. Not only in trade, but interaction and resultant influences in arts, architecture, music and based and strengthened for the mutuothers were also monitored, with the Relations between Sudan al benefit of their respective peoples. famous Sufi figure Taj Eldin aland India are indeed old and Relations between Sudan and Bihari of the Qadiriya Sufi order India are indeed old and deep-root- deep-rooted in history. It dates coming to Sudan from India as one ed in history. It dates back to the of outstanding examples of such back to the Vedic period.

Vedic period. Parallelism undoubtinfluences on Sufi thought.

Parallelism undoubtedly edly existed between the ‘River Nile During recent history, especially Kings’ and the Vedic philosophy during the struggle for emancipation, existed between the ‘River embodied in the scriptures. Religious India and Sudan came closer to each Nile Kings’ and the Vedic symbols on the shores of the Nile other. The Sudanese people were not philosophy embodied in the and the Ganges were not only simionly influenced by the Gandhian lar but had the same philosophical thought (several generations of scriptures. Religious content, proceeding from monotheSudanese carry the name of Gandhi), symbols on the shores of istic principles and degenerating into but the Sudanese leaders and people the Nile and the Ganges were have also taken inspiration from the a polytheistic heathenism.

Similarities in names were also statesmanship of Jawaharlal Nehru, not only similar but revealing. Kush, who was the son of and the Graduates Congress, the vanhad the same philosophical Rama of the Hindu epic Ramayana, guard of the Sudanese elites’ resiscontent. reflects similarity with the name of tance, emulated the Indian experithe well-known land, Kush. The ence in the very name it carried as Indian historical text, ‘Vishnu well as in its strategic tactics.

Purana’ of the period 5000-2000 BC, spoke warmly about our The arrival of Gandhi in Port Sudan in 1932 enroute also rivers, mountains and the splendour of the Nile. Relations dur- to Egypt and Britain has further fertilised the Indo-Sudanese ing the Meroitic Kingdom, known by historians as the contacts that have shown substantive increase in the period fol“Birmingham of Africa”, and India are not difficult to assess. lowing the independence of Sudan in 1956. Shortly prior to As a leading technological hub of its time, Meroe has trans- that in 1954 and at the invitation of the British and the Egyptian The confluence of the Blue and White Niles at the Sudanese capital Khartoum

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D I P L O M A T E S E governments, India, represented by purchase of engineering goods, chemicals Sukumar Sen, Chief of the Election and fertilisers, industrial tools and machinCommission, conducted the first elections ery. President Abbaoud’s visit to India in May that paved the way for the emancipation of 1964, following the visit of Zakir Hussain, the country. And as a self-governing territoIndia’s vice president, to Sudan in 1963, gave ry, Sudan sought the services of the Indian a further boost to the Indo-Sudanese bilateral judicial personnel and the experience of its relations whereby an Indian Technical Aid legal system, which continue to inspire the Programme was promised along with legal fraternity in Sudan. It is also India Nehru’s announcement of India’s willingwhich contributed technically and materialness to buy more Sudanese cotton. The visly to the “Sudanisation” processes in the its exchanged by dignitaries of the two counaftermath of independence, and its experitries crystallised the commitment of the ence helped earlier than that in the estabrespective leaderships for closer ties, includlishment of vital sectors like the railway sysing the visit of Prime Minister Ismail altem, and the Sudan Forest Service in 1901 Azhari to India in 1967, President Numeri in which was based on the report of Murell, an 1974 and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to Sudan Indian forester. in 1975.

The Sudanese people were not The opening of the Sudan In its ‘Look East’' policy, President Embassy in New Delhi shortly after Al-Bashir’s government recognised only influenced by Gandhian independence reflected the importhe vitality and importance of thought (several generations of tance Sudan attached to its relations enhanced Indo-Sudanese relations.

Sudanese carry the name of with India as it was one of the first Relations between the two countries few embassies established abroad. were given due attention, when, durGandhi), but the Sudanese Pledges of new commitments to ing the visit of the then Foreign leaders and people have also enhance bilateral relations were Minister Ali Osman Mohammed taken inspiration from the echoed by Rahmtalla Abdalla, the Taha to India during May 30 to June first Sudanese ambassador to India, 1995, a joint committee of co-operastatesmanship of Jawaharlal when he presented his credentials on tion was upgraded to a Joint Nehru, and the Graduates October 16, 1956, to Dr. Rajendra Commission at the ministerial level, Congress, the vanguard of the following which the then State Prasad, the first President of independent India. It was Abdalla who Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mustafa Sudanese elites’ resistance, inaugurated the “Sudan Block” of the Osman Ismail, visited India during emulated the Indian prestigious Pune-based National November 6-9, 1997, for the first experience in the very name it Defence Academy on May 30, 1959. meeting of the commission. The secThe academy is an everlasting symond session was held in Khartoum carried as well as in its bol of the Indo-Sudanese solidarity as during April 8-9, 2000. While the forstrategic tactics. it was a gift from Sudan to India conmation of the Joint Commission repceived in 1941 in grateful recognition resented an important institutional and commemoration of the gallantry and sacrifices of Indian framework, it was at its meeting in Khartoum several unprecetroops in defense of Sudan in the Second World War. dented agreements on cooperation were signed, namely: The visit to India by Sudanese Prime Minister Ismail al- ■ Agreement on trade and economic cooperation.

Azhari in 1955 and his earlier participation, along with Nehru ■ Agreement establishing a Joint Business Council between and other leaders of the emerging developing world, in the the apex chambers of commerce and industry in the two counBandung Conference of the non-aligned nations, laid the tries. foundation for economic cooperation between Sudan and ■ An MoU for cooperation in the development of the small India. Such cooperation was given added momentum by the scale enterprises sector. visit of Nehru in 1957 to Sudan, being one of the only three ■ An MoU on annual consultations between the Ministry of African countries ever visited by him as Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan and the Ministry of External Affairs India. Bilateral ties were strengthened and various exchanges of India. were witnessed, including the deputation by India of top irri- ■ Agreement on cooperation between the Foreign Service gation engineer A.N. Khosla, the then vice chancellor of Institute of India and the National Centre for Diplomatic Roorkee University, to advice the Sudan government on the Studies in Sudan. proper utilisation of the Nile waters, as well as the visit to ■ Agreement on a Cultural Exchange Programme.

India by Deputy Prime Minister Mirghani Hamza, who was ■ Protocol for cooperation in radio and television in the two one of distinguished invitees at the inauguration of the atom- countries.

■ Agreement on cooperation between the Press Trust of India ic reactor in Trombay by Nehru.

A credit of Rs. 50 million was also given to Sudan for the (PTI) and the Sudan News Agency (SUNA).

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Further, an agreement on cooperation in The entry by ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) science and technology was signed during to Sudan as a partner in the oil consortium the visit of Alzubair Bashir Taha, Minister of is the most significant development in the Science and Technology of Sudan, to India history of economic relations of the two in 2002 and an MoU on cooperation in countries. With the acquisition of the biotechnology was signed during the visit of Canadian Talisman’s share of 25 percent secretary, Department of Biotechnology, amounting to $750 million, and construcGovernment of India, to Sudan. The two tion of the Khartoum-Port Sudan Oil sides also signed another MoU on cooperaProducts Pipeline, Sudan is certainly emergtion in solar energy, along with the renewal ing as the biggest recipient of Indian foreign of the working programme between the direct investment (FDI) in the entire Arab National Centre for Research in Sudan with and African regions. Aware of the promisthe Indian Council of Scientific and ing future awaiting their bilateral engageIndustrial Research. The institutional framements, the two countries have agreed to work was also given new impetus during the upgrade the level of their Joint Commission visit of President Abdul Kalam to Sudan in to be co-chaired by their respective minisOctober 2003 when three agreeters of foreign affairs in a marked The Joint Statement, issued ments were signed on the following: departure from the previous holding Promotion and protection of investof the commission’s meetings at the on the occasion of the historic ments; avoidance of double taxation; level of state ministers. The imporvisit by President A.P.J. and cooperation in information techtant decision was taken during the Abdul Kalam to Sudan in nology and communication. visit of H.E. Ali Osman Taha to India During the recent session of the in July 2002, accompanied by a highOctober 2003, embodied a India-Sudan Joint Business Council, level delegation that included the vision for strategic held in New Delhi during ministers of foreign affairs, agriculpartnership between the two November 13-14, 2003, an agreeture, science and technology. ment was reached between the The Indo-Sudanese relations witcountries as it contained also Confederation of Indian Industry nessed its historic moment when their identical views on issues (CII) and the Sudanese Chambers of Kalam visited Sudan in October, of mutual concern. During the Industries to establish a Joint 2003, in his first foreign tour since Business Group, with priorities his election as President of India in President’s visit, India defined and relevant sectors for co2002. The visit, which was the first of extended a $50 million line of operation identified. its kind in nearly three decades, procredit as a contribution to the It is most encouraging to note that vided an excellent opportunity for an cooperation in the scientific and techexchange of views with the Sudanese economic development nical fields is gathering momentum leadership on ways and means to of Sudan. with the holding of the second workconsolidate bilateral relations in all shop between the scientists of both fields. The Joint Statement issued on countries in Lucknow concurrently during the meeting of the the occasion of the historic visit embodied a vision for strateJoint Business Council last November in Delhi. The theme gic partnership between the two countries as it contained also of the workshop was cooperation in the medicinal and aro- their identical views on issues of mutual concern. During the matic plants within a framework for implementing the bilat- President’s visit, India extended a $50 million line of credit as eral agreement on science and technology. The first workshop a contribution to the economic development of Sudan. was held in Khartoum in early 2003. Agreements that are curIt is unquestionable that Indo-Sudanese relations have rently nearing completion include an air service agreement and always been cordial and friendly. Their relations are characan MoU on cooperation in agricultural research and forestry terised by deep and abiding bonds based on civilisational heras well as an MoU between the Sudanese National Informatics itage and shared history and culture. The strategic engageCentre and its Indian counterpart. On the other hand, Sudan ment realised in the oil sector that has taken shape with the continues to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Indian landmark entry of OVL, the overseas arm of the ONGC, into Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. GNPOC has transformed their bilateral relations and is And starting in April 2003, the Government of India has expected to positively impact all other sectors and domains of included Sudan in its ‘Focus Africa’ programme, which seeks cooperation. Indeed, there is a great potential for increased flow to enhance trade, investment and joint ventures with select of investment as well as untapped potential in major sectors of African countries, bilaterally and multilaterally, through the concern to the two countries. Sudan is looking forward to sub-regional economic groups like COMESA and the PTA benefit from the Indian experience in its various success stoBank with which India has established an institutional work- ries, including information technology, agriculture, food secuing relationship. rity and agro-processing, small scale industries, human

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President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam preparing to address Sudan’s National Assembly on October 21, 2003, during his historic visit to the country. resource development, science and technology and pharmaceuticals. In the Khartoum Joint Statement, the two sides felt the need to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms to cope with other expanding bilateral relations.

The forthcoming Delhi meeting of the Joint Commission is expected to address, inter alia, issues relating to the strengthening and streamlining of the institutional mechanisms.

Establishing specialised sub-committees on major issues like hydrocarbons, agriculture, small industry, etc., is of great importance as it will also facilitate necessary follow-up.

Reactivating various agreements and MoUs is equally relevant to ensure that added dynamism is created and sustained.

Addressing the bureaucratic hurdles will go a long way in achieving the expected goals and objectives.

The Joint Statement issued on the occasion of the visit of the Indian President to Sudan has emphasised that the revitalised Indo-Sudanese relations are not only in the best interests of the two countries but also a concrete model for SouthSouth cooperation. Enhanced relations between the two countries would serve the socio-economic needs of their people and would certainly constitute an appropriate response to changing world scenarios economically and politically. The recent positions by developed and developing countries at World Trade Organisation (WTO) meetings reflect the need for such a solidarity. In the case of Sudan, as it prepares for accession to the WTO, India’s technical assistance and support is indeed vital. And as Sudan is applying for the status of “Dialogue Partner” in the Indian Ocean Rim for Regional Cooperation, one of the important emerging economic blocs, the support of India, which has already been promised, is of equal importance.

Perhaps, it could not have been a more opportune time for cooperation between Sudan and India on constitutional and legal matters than this juncture when Sudan is fully engaged in operationalising the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

There is no doubt that the experience of India, as a multi-reli-

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gious, multi-ethnic and multicultural society like Sudan, and its role model of unity in diversity, demands consideration and invites emulation.

As India and Sudan, along with other developing countries, are facing profound challenges brought about by globalisation and the current configuration of world’s power, it is incumbent on them to enhance their coordination in the international fora, and to use their foreign office consultations mechanisms for assessment and evaluation of the unfolding global events. Indeed, Sudan and India have always shared common values and principles. They share an unflinching commitment to the promotion of regional and international peace and security. They believe in a multi-polar world with a fair and equitable system of global trade and business. The views of the two countries are similar on the need to restructure the United Nations and, in particular, the Security Council, in order that it becomes responsive to the needs and aspirations of developing countries.

The two countries hold similar views on the need to condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and adhere to the fact that terrorism knows no religion nor any geographical limitations. The two countries are committed to nonalignment as it symbolises independence in decision-making and autonomy of choice. As the cradle of the two oldest civilisations, the two countries believe in dialogue and interaction among civilizations. The best illustration in this regard was made by Mahatma Gandhi, when he said, “I don’t want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed.

I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”

From his hotel room overlooking the confluence of the two rivers in Khartoum, President Kalam was not only eyeing the Nile in its historic, eternal journey northwards, but he was perhaps visualising a new Silk Route, a rendezvous with history again between two great civilisations.

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Q U A R T E R L Y

Cross-cultural

SYNTHESIS

Fakir Hassen digs deeper into South African Indian community’s love for its adopted home and finds a fascinating story of cross-cultural synthesis unfolding in the country where Mahatma Gandhi perfected his methods of non-violent struggle.

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ollywood, business and Mahatma the current generation of South African Indians.

Gandhi –– this is a very unusual trinKollapen says while South African Indians should take ity, but between them they have advantage of the space created by the Constitution and by the configured and defined relations Bill of Rights to develop their culture, they should also rise to between the 1.2 million South another challenge –– that of recognising the cultures of other Africans of Indian origin and what communities. some in the older generation still “The Constitution doesn’t just require us to advance and refer to as the “motherland.” Even in respect our own culture. It requires us also to be South African the apartheid isolation era spanning –– to step outside the box of our own culture and to embrace four decades, there were always people in the community who other cultures and to be enriched by those cultures. That is the managed to bring in the movies that locals queued up for challenge in many respects for South Africans of Indian orihours to see at cinema halls lining the streets of Durban, where gin,” says Kollapen. their forebears first arrived as indentured sugar cane labourers Kollapen argues for a more syncretic culture that weaves in 1860. And then there were always women who craved diverse elements of this legacy. “On the one hand, to ensure Indian saris and spices even as the freedom struggle veterans that we use the opportunities that have been given to us to used Gandhian principles in their fight. advance our culture, language and religion that makes us who The new generation of South we are, but on the other hand also to “Without a doubt, we have a African Indians is, however, trying show a fidelity and a loyalty to the strong umbilical cord to India new democratic state and to see our hard to amalgamate various strands of their inherited culture and the cul- and we should not be ashamed identity inextricably linked to that of ture of their adopted country. This the rest of the country.” about that and, in fact, be mixed heritage has, according to “I think that is a bit of a more difproud about that. We should some observers, triggered an identificult challenge, because in many ty crisis in the decade-old democra- wear our culture proudly on our ways we feel threatened and it would cy while others argue that there is no not be an understatement to say that sleeves, but at the same time such crisis as Indians and Africans when you speak to many people of we should remind ourselves work alongside each other in fields as Indian origin, they say to you: ‘We diverse as politics and culture. feel threatened; we have a particular that we live in Africa, and our So one finds that the state presidestiny is inextricably linked to view on affirmative action’ (which dent’s chief adviser is of Indian origives preference to previously disadthe people of this continent.” gin, and the Tata group teaming up vantaged communities, but is perwith African partners in empowerceived as favouring Africans to the ment deals for previously disadvantaged South Africans, while detriment of Indians).” white and black South Africans sing and dance to the hypnot“But I think we have seen how many of our leaders have ic beat of Bollywood numbers. positively done that –– religious groups, cultural groups, politiThe chairman of the South African Human Rights cians across the spectrum have shown that you can be part of Commission, Jody Kollapen, a third-generation South African a broader nation while not placing your culture, your language Indian, is candid about the matrix of challenges that confront and your religion at risk.”

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D I A S P O R A The promotion of culture, reliBollywood culture, however, gion and language among South continues to be the reigning African Indians that Kollapen flavour and infects even those new advocates finds reflection in myrito its charms. A stage play titled ad activities like locals flocking to ‘Fusion’ recently brought together meet the resident head of the white and black performers. The Muslim holy shrine of Ajmer in cast was trained to speak and sing in India when he visits here, or the Hindi by voice trainer Suchitra Swaminarayan Mission opening a Nagarajan. “It was a challenge, multimillion-rand temple which especially when I found that never has even become a major tourist mind their non-existent Hindi, attraction. even the English they spoke was But the links between the two different to my English,” countries go well beyond commuNagarajan quipped. nity activity. Politically, India has Cross-cultural transmission has always had a special place in the worked both ways. Brian Sekoko, hearts of the freedom fighters here, a Black South African from especially since it initiated the fight Soweto, is currently in India and is against apartheid at the United confident of becoming the first Nations in 1948. This was firmly African Kathak dance graduate. His endorsed at the 50th anniversary interest in Indian art was kindled at of the Freedom Charter adopted Brian Sekoko, right, who hopes to become the first India- classes run by Dr. Vinod Hassel in by the people in Kliptown, which trained African graduate in Kathak dance, receives advice on several black townships here after was marked at the same spot south some steps from his mentor, Dr. Vinod Hassel of the R.K. he arrived in the country a decade Dance Theatre. of here a few months ago, when ago.

India was the only foreign state Sekoko stunned local audiences Those who comprise the new invited to the meet. when he made his stage debut last generation of South African For the 81-year-old Chotubhai year with a half-hour Kathak perIndians are trying hard to Makkan, a Gujarati community formance. activist, it was an emotional Scores of South African Indians amalgamate various strands of moment when he joined a Jewish study Indian music, dance and lantheir inherited culture and the Rabbi and Methodist Christian guages at schools all over the counculture of their adopted country. minister in opening the prayers at try, even if very few in the younger the event. “I had never believed generation speak any Indian lanthat I would witness in my own lifetime the achievement of guage these days. The advent of subtitling in Indian films has the objectives of the Freedom Charter,” recalls Makkan. regenerated interest in Indian cinema that had all but died by When Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal took the 1970s as pirated videos forced once-thriving cinemas to office in Pretoria a few months ago, he said his top priorities become shopping malls. After showing a few Indian films four would be to sustain the rapidly growing trade between the two years ago and realising their huge market potential, the councountries and to supplement the efforts of South African try’s largest cinema group, Ster-Kinekor, began a Bollywood Indians in promoting Indian culture among all communities. circuit, showing these films regularly, with its closest com“With growth of 25 percent last year starting from a very small petitor Numetro Cinemas taking a similar sales pitch since last base (a decade ago) one wants to see that that rate of growth, year. or perhaps even larger growth, is maintained over the next few “It’s the special composition of Bollywood films and their years,” says Pal. “If we can do that, I think we can reach the general family appeal that draws the audiences, mainly Indian, full potential that Indo-South African trade can.” of course, but there are also now audiences from other comPal outlines myriad initiatives that have boosted trade munities, especially after the national public broadcaster, the between the two countries. “Various platforms, such as the South African Broadcasting Corporation, began showing India-South Africa CEO forum, bring the movers and shak- Indian films with subtitles,” says Fiaz Mahomed, chief execers together, and nothing works better than that.” He is also utive officer of Ster-Kinekor. pleased with how South African Indians have tenaciously clung Indian music is equally popular with a multicultural audito their essential culture. “But we need to show Indian culture ence. Ekbal Omarjee, a former Indian national, is now South in all its diversity –– it should not be all Bollywood or all Africa’s largest Indian music dealer with his Global Bollywood Bharatanatyam; it should be a mix of high culture, popular cul- Music chain of outlets after he secured distribution rights from ture and everything in between. I think it is happening, and if almost all Indian music companies, especially the famous Tit needs any encouragement from us, we’ll certainly be happy Series. “The more people we can get on board to buy legitito provide that.” mate and quality, guaranteed products, the quicker we can

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wipe out the scourge of piracy, which not only helps criminals, but also causes unemployment and basically amounts to theft,” Omarjee says of his biggest threat, Pakistani-produced pirated copies openly sold on streets here.

Bollywood’s influence is evident in beauty and fashion contests being organised in the country. Miss Bollywood, Miss Teen Bollywood and Mr. Bollywood contests are just some of these events, which were started in the past two years. In a recent pageant, the 17-year-old Remona Moodley, a high school student, became the youngest ever winner of the annual Miss India South Africa contest, which saw her going to Mumbai in November to represent South Africa against a host of winners from countries in the Indian diaspora in the Miss India Worldwide Pageant.

“It will be great to learn from women from the diaspora how Indians live there. We know about Indians in South Africa and Indians in India, but this pageant will provide an opportunity to spend time with the other girls and see how they live in their countries,” says an excited Moodley.

So even as an increasing number of Tata and Mahindra vehicles hit South African roads, young Indians vie in bhajan singing contests. Cheap Indian medicines not only provide healing to South Africans but remind them of their vital links to India. And yes, Mahatma Gandhi continues to be the living icon who remains an inspiration for generations of Indians and South Africans.

For South African Indians, the meaning of their adopted country only sinks in and acquires added resonance when they are out holidaying in India or in some other part of the world. “I vote at election time for the best candidate for the job, and go on holiday to India with my family every December, but it’s always great to come back to South Africa after a break there, because there’s no place like home,” says

Q U A R T E R L Y

Photo top, an African choir joins students of the Shree Bharat Sharda Mandir School at an honours function in Lenasia to sing the anthems of both South Africa and India. Photo above, Shireen Munsamy, left, historian and author, with Vijay Nakra, CEO of Mahindra and Mahindra in South Africa, which sponsored copies of her book –– aimed at changing perceptions of South African Indian history –– for distribution in local schools.

Hashmukh Patel, an accountant.

Kollapen perhaps has the last word. “Without a doubt, we have a strong umbilical cord to India and we should not be ashamed about that and, in fact, be proud about that. We should wear our culture proudly on our sleeves, but, at the same time, we should remind ourselves that we live in Africa, and our destiny is inextricably linked to the people of this continent.”

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D I A S P O R A

The East African

DIASPORA

Aparajita Biswas traces the growth of an economically empowered and influential Indian diaspora in East Africa and argues for a more proactive Indian policy to involve overseas Indians in the rejuvenation of India-Africa relations.

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n recent years, diaspora has become a popu- diaspora upsets internal and external balances of identities, i.e., lar term of critical and public discourse in the it inter-relates with the imagined (homeland) and the encounbackdrop of globalisation and trans-nation- tered (host land). Their experience in a foreign land requires alism, both of which challenge the traditional adjustment, and thus hybridisation, of identity. This transforidentities of nation and race, and even class mation creates the tension between the diaspora and its homeand gender, and uphold the energies of var- land on claims to national identity.3 ious subjectivities. Once seen as “a space of Kim Butler, a historian of the African diaspora in Brazil, social death”, to paraphrase Orlando insists that the conceptualisation of diaspora must be able to Patterson’s suggestive imagery of slavery, accommodate the reality of multiple identities and phases of diaspora is now increasingly endowed with new possibilities diasporisation over time. She offers a simple but useful scheme as a forerunner of the future of for diasporan study divided globalisation.1 into five dimensions: i) reasons for, and conditions of, However, in spite of its the dispersal; ii) relationship popularity there still exist difwith homelands; iii) relationficulties in conceptualising the ship with the host lands; iv) term “diaspora”, mainly inter-relationships within the because of its complex social diasporan groups; and v) and cultural identities. comparative study of differFocusing on the issue of idenent diaspora.4 tity, Paul Zaleza suggests that “a diasporic identity implies a However, the contempoform of group consciousness rary diasporas necessitate constituted historically redefinition and re-conceptuthrough expressive culture, alisation of the term in the politics, thoughts and tradilight of global developments tion, in which experimental within the wider study of and representational resources A map of East Africa during the time of the migration of Indians to the international relations the African continent, especially western Indian Ocean nations. are mobilised from the imagbecause of the increasing inaries of both the old and the new worlds.” She argues that importance of non-state actors and their power and role in the identical complexities of diasporas have been created out influencing states and government policies. As diasporas are of actual and imagined lineage and geographies (cultural, racial, mainly non-state actors, they have to be viewed not only as ethnic, national, continental, transnational) of belonging, dis- minorities in their particular host society, but also as imporplacement, and recreation, constructed and conceived at mul- tant entities vis-à-vis their countries of origin. It may be mentiple temporal and spatial scales, at different moments and dis- tioned here that the case of India is a peculiar one as the diastances from the putative homeland.2 pora was ignored and held at arm’s length for the best part of According to contemporary Anglophone theoreticians, India’s independent history. The importance of the econom-

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ic power of the diaspora in the development of their home country, or influencing their host countries’ policy-making towards their home country to a certain degree, had been totally overlooked by the Indian foreign policymakers. The overseas Indians were totally neglected as India, ignoring their economic potential, developed its relationship with the decolonising host countries. For example, the government of India was indifferent towards the expatriate Indians during difficult situations in Africa.

Having said that, it is imperative to understand the nature and characteristics of the territorial nation state of India that came into being at independence. It may be noted that the creation of post-colonial states often involves a high degree of national consciousness. India’s independence movement and its leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and other nationalists, directly created a national consciousness at the beginning of the 20th century. At the time of independence, the Indian nation state included all the political class, over and above a wide range and number of divergent civil societies. The sense of Indian consciousness on the eve of independence included the diaspora, which had been expatriated under the British colonial system. However, India started excluding the diaspora after its independence. It may be noted here that the sense of national consciousness varies from region to region in India, and it is a particular region to which the individual expatriate Indian remains attached. Unlike, for example, Israel, which is a state born out of the nationalism of a diaspora, India created a territorial nation state and, in the process, cut off the diaspora.

The system developed for India after independence was a separate linguistic and cultural unit, combined to form a republic where power and authority was centralized. Indian political leaders were more concerned with the problem of national integration and of nation-building immediately after independence. Thus, with a swap from nationalist movement to a nation state project, there was no place for ethno-nationalistic concerns within the new state’s foreign policy. The new political identity could not include the satellites of expatriate Indians living all around the world.5 This article analyses the relationship between the government of India and overseas Indians in Africa from 1947 onwards, giving a brief historical background as to how the diaspora came into being and the nature of the relationship that was prevalent between them before independence. It also tries to point out the shift in the policy of the government of India towards overseas Indians. It may be noted that from a state of confused and complete passivity of the earlier years, the government’s policy has become proactive regarding the interests of the Indian diaspora. This was the result of the process of liberalisation of the Indian economy, started in 1991, as a result of which the Indian government is increasingly wooing the Indian diaspora population to make investments in India. The inflow of investment from this source can be substantially large, considering that India’s diaspora population is more than

Q U A R T E R L Y

20 million people, spread across some 130 countries. The question that arises is: How will these increased levels of migration and a larger diaspora affect India? And what policies should India adopt with regard to the diaspora so as to maximize the country’s welfare and strategic goals?

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he Indian diaspora has been an important factor in India’s relations with African countries. One of the important aspects of the India-Africa relations is the presence of a sizeable number of overseas Indians in African countries. Since ancient times, Indians have interacted with the coastal regions of western Indian Ocean, especially with the East African and the Southern African regions. However, widespread migration and permanent settlement took place within two broad periods and under two sets of situations: First, under imperialism in the late 19th and early 20th century; and then after the mid-20th century. The former was a function of the colonial expansion taking indentured labour, traders and administrators to the colonies, the latter was migration of all forms of skilled, unskilled, entrepreneurial and professional labour.

It may be noted that as the Act of Emancipation of 1834 abolished slavery, tropical colonies with sugar and cocoa plantations had sought other forms of cheap labour. The British colonial authorities arranged a system of indentured Indian immigration established in Calcutta and Madras. Labour was recruited in the hinterlands and signed contract of at least five years, which guaranteed them basic pay, accommodation, food rations, medical facilities and partly paid return passage. In 1860, thousands of Indians reached Natal, Transvaal and Cape Colony in South Africa to work on the white settler plantations. Later, voluntary immigration gathered momentum, with new immigrants coming in as traders and artisans or for fastgrowing job opportunities. By the early 20th century, ethnic Asians –– mainly Indians –– had constituted a sizeable community in all the British eastern and southern African territories.6 Since then, they have made a very significant contribution to the development of these colonies. It is to their credit that all their skills, determination, ingenuity and sacrifice were directed at building solid economic and cultural bases in eastern and southern African regions.

It may be recalled here that in 1895 the British East African Company initiated the Kenya-Uganda railway line to build a railroad from the coast at Mombassa to Lake Victoria in order to protect the upper sources of the Nile which was approved by the British government. The company was at that time involved in extremely heavy expenditure in consolidating the British influence in the interior. It also had faced the serious problem of long haulage of 700 miles to Uganda. To deliver one tonne of goods to the company’s outpost to Uganda would cost them around 250 pounds. It became clear that without more economical methods of transport, it would have been difficult to maintain effective control over the vast area. The

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company as such proposed to the British government to con- sprang up in the interiors. These shops provided people in the struct a railway line into the interior, because it was in no posi- interior regions of Africa a window to the outside world.10 The tion to finance such an undertaking.7 most famous Indian “dukawalla”, of the time was Aladin Once the British government conceded the significance of Visram. Between 1893 and 1913, his caravans penetrated the railway, the construction work brooked no delay. In beyond the borders of German East Africa into Uganda, Kenya December 1895, the first construction staff arrived at and parts of Congo Free State and southern Sudan. Before the Mombassa. Since the Africans of that area were unaccustomed Uganda Railway had reached Kisumu, Aladin’s caravan bearto wage labour, it was considered necessary to import coolies ing large quantities of goods from Zanzibar and Bagamaya from India, a bulk of them from Punjab. However, it must be made its way to his stores in Uganda. He also used fleets of remembered that most of the Indian coolies were repatriated small vessels to carry cargoes between various parts of lake although few of them remained behind. They did spread all Victoria. The crowning achievement of the career of Aladin over East Africa –– some of them even went to South Africa. Visram was the cotton ginnery he established in association Hence, this could not be considered as a major factor, by itself, with other Indian merchants at Kampala during 1912-14. It did for the considerable size of the Indian population in the East provide the foundation of the subsequent Indian role in the African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. But in fact, Uganda cotton industry. Around the turn of the 19th century, the Indian “duka” became a the repatriated coolies spread a very important link in the word about immense wealth chain of communication and opportunities in the East 8 between the interior East African countries.

African regions and the outside With the developing tradworld.11 ing opportunities in the African hinterland and the Gradually, most of the government’s policy to trade and commerce in the encourage large-scale immiEast African regions was in the gration from India, the pull hands of Indians. In Uganda, from Africa drew hundreds of cotton ginning and coffee curpeople from India. ing were a completely Asian Another big reason for this monopoly. Indian industrial immigration was the impover- A railway survey team comprising Indians and white officers in 1896. magnets like Sir Homi Mehta, ishment of people in British Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas Once the British government conceded Sheth, Nanajibhai Kalidasa India. There was a lack of job opportunities, repeated Mehta and Ambalal Sarabhai the significance of the Kenya-Uganda famines and excessive pressure invested in the region for the railway, the construction work brooked no of population on land and setting up of cotton ginning delay. In December 1895, the first other resources. It is not surfactories. In Tanganyika, the prising, therefore, that in the construction staff arrived at Mombassa. Asians owned many of the 19th century India had providlarge sisal and other plantaSince the Africans of that area were ed a ready market for cheap tions. Similarly, two Indian unaccustomed to wage labour, it was labour for several British posfamilies –– the Madavanis and considered necessary to import coolies Hindochas –– who had investsessions. The misery of the people in India was so ed a huge amount of capital in from India, a bulk of them from Punjab. widespread that they felt a kind setting up of these industries, of push from within to leave their land and search for a decent dominated the sugar and cotton industries in the East African means of livelihood overseas.9 region.12 Therefore, the role of the Indian merchants in the ecoollowing the completion of the Kenya-Uganda railway, nomic development of East Africa need not be emphasised. many Indians stayed back to start a new life either as The following remark by Nanajibhai Mehta are equally true traders, artisans or administrators for the British gov- of not only Uganda, but also the whole of East Africa: “It was ernment in East Africa. Indian traders in increasing numbers Indian merchants who made Uganda habitable at the cost of moved along the railway tracks and the caravan routes to new the kith and kin and through physical hazards and natural administrative areas as well as into remote districts. As a result, hardships built up trade, raised plantations, cultivated tea garthey pushed the frontiers of business into the new regions. The dens, grew office estates and installed factories and industrial entrepreneurial instinct of Asians was demonstrated with the concerns and helped them to usher in modern civilisation and setting up of many small shops, called the Asian “duka”, which provided an economic basis, which ultimately inspired the

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skilled and semi-skilled manpower resources. Consequently, by the 1960s, the Asian population of East Africa provided almost a quarter of the entire East African professional and managerial personnel, and about two-fifths of its highly skilled clerical and manual workers.16 Besides, there were notable disparities in the nature of occupation of the three racial groups –– Europeans, Asians and Africans. In fact, whatever little economic progress was achieved during the colonial times had benefited and enriched the immigrant settler communities and their descendants much too disproportionately. Consequently, non-African inhabitants, who constituted only 2.3 percent of the total population in East Africa, dominated the economic activity of the region.

Moreover, the per capita income of Africans was much less than Europeans and Asians. For example, the African per capita income in Uganda was 12 pounds as t was during the inter-war periagainst the Asians’ per capita income od that Asians attained a level of of 288 pounds, and the European per prosperity which was missing capita income of 990 pounds in the earlier. Where once they were poor year 1963.17 and struggled hard for a modest living, after the war, with the opening Being in the middle echelon of up of new avenues for employment the colonial economy, with the and investment in commercial enterEuropeans at the top and Africans at prises, the Asians were quick to seize the lower end, Indians felt pressures the opportunity. Therefore, while the from both sides. On the one hand, economic condition of Asians they were victims of racialism and improved, Africans under the British hatred from Europeans, who also colonial rule were relegated to infefeared competition from them. On rior positions. the other hand, the Africans looked The monetary and commercial upon Indians as exploiters because of sectors were subject to rules and regtheir money-lending activities and ulations which the Africans were The dhow was the means of transport for Indians the high prices they charged for usually unable to abide by. Even the travelling to East Africa. goods. colonial administrations discouraged Another important factor was the The entrepreneurial instinct of petty trading and considered hawking three-tier social order where every Asians was demonstrated with community retained its social cusas undesirable occupation for the the setting up of many small Africans.14 toms and traditions. The Asian comAgain, African participation in the shops, called the Asian “duka”, munity occupied a middle position manufacturing sector and plantations which sprang up in the interiors. and had no social contact with Africans. The Asians, with their caste was by way of unskilled wage labour.

Their entry into the higher rungs of These shops provided people in consciousness, looked down upon the interior regions of Africa a Africans as being socially and culturthe monetary economy was highly ally inferior. restricted. Even the educational syswindow to the outside world.

However, it may be recalled that tem that was introduced after the war The most famous Indian Indians in East Africa never exceedbenefited the Asians rather than the “dukawalla”, of the time was ed more than 2 percent of populaAfricans. It would be relevant to tion and also had no ambition to parmention here that primary education Aladin Visram. ticipate in the political affairs of East was entirely in the hands of European missionaries who were mainly interested in proseletisation.15 African states like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Even when Thus, under the system, very little was spent on African edu- the issue of their political and equal status came up, Indians cation. In comparison, the Asian community invariably kept demanded equal treatment, not equal privileges, at the expense ahead of the Africans in the matter of education and also in of Africans. In 1921, leaders of East African Indian National people of the land to achieve freedom and economic independence.”13 It may be recalled that until the early 1920s, there was little resentment among the Africans regarding the Asian presence in East Africa. This was despite the fact that 90 percent of trade was in the hands of the Asians, mainly because Africans were relatively new to commercial activities in the region. The economic role of the Asians was seen to be largely harmonious with the Africans. However, during the course of colonial rule, African resentment towards Asians grew and became a built-in factor in the region. The reasons for African animosity towards Asian settlers lay in the socio-economic changes that were taking place in East African countries in the post-war period. These changes ultimately widened the hiatus between Asians and Africans, and extended the area of friction between the two communities.

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Congress like M.A. Desai, Isher Dass and S.N. Acharya lent their support to a group of African reformists to form the Young Kikuyu Association –– the first African political organisation formed in Kenya. It was later named as the East African Association. Indians also helped organise trade unions after the war. In fact, trade unionism in Kenya originated under the influence and direct participation of Asian trade unionists.18

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gated by the British masters and white settlers, and on the other, by the Indian settlers. It was not surprising, therefore, that sporadic racial tension was evident from time to time. In Kenya, the situation was worse because not only was there a larger concentration of Indian population but, most importantly, Indians were virtually dominating trade and commerce and were also occupying top jobs in the country. Thus, after independence, the presence of overseas Indians became unwelcome in countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

This was particularly linked to the activities of Indian traders and, in some places, civil servants. The result was that after independence, a movement was initiated to expel all foreigners, including Indians.

round this time, there also existed close contact between Kenyan and Indian nationalist leaders.

Mahatma Gandhi’s passive resistance approach as a weapon to fight British imperialism appealed to African political leaders. By 1946, Kenya African Union (KAU) had emerged as the largest and the strongest of the African political parties, and mmediately after independence, the took the lead in the African struggle for indegovernment of Kenya started pendence. KAU got a further impetus when “Kenyanisation” of its economy, its leader, Jomo Kenyatta, returned from wherein all non-citizens, largely Indians, London after a 15-year exile. In an interwere asked to take a work and residence perview, he said, “Indians and Africans have mit. The government was equally conpolitically many things in common and a cerned about the “Africanisation” of highcommon platform can be built where the level jobs and positions. A directive was members of the two communities can work issued to all private and public companies together on complete equal footing.”19 that posts held by non-citizen Europeans and Asians be “Kenyanised” within a fiveIn 1958, second generation Indians, year period. By this Act, Kenya’s through the Kenya Indian Congress “Indians and Africans have Ministry of Commerce and Industry (KIC), the Kenya Freedom Party politically many things in was to withdraw permission from (KFP), the Uganda Action Group common and a common non-citizen traders to deal in goods and splinter intellectual groups in Tanganyika, began to join African platform can be built where the which were classified as “specified” under the Trade Licensing Act. It politics in partnership with African members of the two meant that any non-citizen running nationalists. Indians joined the parcommunities can work together a business –– wholesale, retail, import liamentary groups of both the or export –– was compelled to close Kenyan African National Union on complete equal footing.”

(KANU) and Kenyan African –– Jomo Kenyatta them. All such measures had farreaching consequences. They affectDemocratic Union (KADU). They ed both the Indians who were even demanded that these African parties should be kept open to Indians in order to create truly employed in the corporate sector and Indian “dukawallahs” national parties. But this demand was not acceptable to KANU who were in small businesses.22 and KADU.20 Unemployment, caused by the Africanisation and a generYet, in 1961, when most of the East African countries al climate of the anti-Indian feeling, had created a situation became independent, apprehension of an uncertain future led where many educated Indians left East African countries. In Indians to seek either constitutional safeguards or assurances 1963, over 1,100 Indians, including 400 employees and their from the African leaders or, as a last resort, interference by the wives, returned to India.23 Between 1963 and 1968, the Asian government of India. The anxiety of Indians was caused by the population of Kenya was reduced by one-third. In Uganda, wave of boycotts and attacks on them. Indians could relate their when Idi Amin came to power in January 1971, he wanted to fears. Europeans took advantage of the mood and provoked put the entire Ugandan economy in the hands of native Africans against Indians. Even prominent African political Ugandans. According to him, 80,000 Asians were destroying leaders disowned their responsibility to protect Indians, and the economy of Uganda by encouraging corruption and, theredeclared that though attacks were “unwarranted”, it was up to fore, there was no room for them in Uganda. All the people Indians to regain the confidence of Africans.21 of Indian origin (PIOs) who were Kenyan citizens, British In fact, the situation was such that Africans felt that they and Indian passport holders, had to leave in 90 days, i.e., before were doubly colonized. On the one hand, they were subju- November 8, 1972. Amin declared that Indians were the

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“worst imperialists” and described the expulsion of the PIOs its commitment to support the independence of African countries, and promote Afro-Asian solidarity.26 as part of the “war of liberation”.24 By the time the Asians were expelled from Uganda, many It is relevant to mention here that during this period, India’s of them felt that the period of Asian enterprise in East Africa foreign relations were conducted in a spirit of idealism, placwas over. They were not only ruthlessly expelled from Uganda ing world co-operation and friendship with Asian-African but also pushed out from Tanzania and neighbouring Zambia, countries above the dictates of India’s national interests and the Malawi and Zimbabwe. Even those who had secured citizen- interests of overseas Indians. Nehru was deeply concerned ship of these countries were highly uncertain of their future. about the larger African causes and would not mind if the However, this is not the complete story. There were two dis- causes of Indian settlers or racial discrimination against them cernible trends towards the middle of the 1970s. One was the occupied a back seat. He wrote, “Now the Indian question has expulsion of Asians from Uganda and the to be viewed in a different light from the one exodus from Kenya and Tanzania; the other it was viewed in the past. In the past, our was a sizeable fresh inflow of Indians into main effort was to persuade the British colothese very countries as well as several other nial office to interest itself in bettering the developing countries of Asia and Africa. conditions of Indians abroad. We as an indeThe new immigration was a result of pendent nation have to deal with other indegrowing demand for certain categories of pendent nations.”27 middle- and high-level manpower and Even as India was publicly committed to enterprising skills which were not available support de-colonisation everywhere, it was locally but could be located in South Asian caught in a dilemma on the issue of overcountries. This demand rose considerably, seas Indians. On the one hand, overseas and was backed by the projected developIndians were asked to take local passports, mental needs identified by Kenya and other and on the other, Indians were advised not neighbouring countries. Even President Idi to take part in local politics. In fact, confuAmin of Uganda had called back Indians. sion marked India’s policy towards overseas This migratory process gathered further Indians during the 1950s and 1960s. In the momentum as the years rolled by as case of Madagascar, the contradicNehru wanted Indians to give a result of which the Asian populatory advice to overseas Indians could primary consideration to, and be seen most clearly when, in 1955, tion in Kenya started swelling again.

These were not businessman but it was declared that “it is the duty of associate themselves as professionals such as doctors, teachIndians living abroad to act in such closely as possible with, the ers, accountants who took assigna way as to help dependent territointerests of the people of the ments in Africa on a contractual ries obtain their autonomy”.28 Also countries they had adopted. basis. They were highly educated in 1955, Nehru declared that overand hailed from different parts of They must not even appear to seas Indians could expect no help India. from India, if they exploited be in a position of exploiting Africans. And in 1960, he stated that local people and must be overseas Indians should keep their he basic plank of independent friendly with them.

Otherwise, emotional roots, but adjust to the India’s policy towards overnew environment, and in Africa they seas Indians was that these India would prefer them to had nothing to fear, it being undepeople should not look to India, but come back and “not spoil the sirable for them to return to India.29 identify themselves with the local fair name of India.” population wherever they had setAccording to Nehru, Indians tled. In 1950, Krishna Menon, the must always give primary considerathen foreign minister of India, stated that Indians abroad had tion to, and associate themselves as closely as possible with, the to give allegiance to the country they lived in. He did, howev- interests of the people of the countries they had adopted. They er, stress on the affinities they had with the mother country, must not even appear to be in a position of exploiting local peobut these affinities were not necessarily political.25 ple and must be friendly with them. Otherwise, India would Throughout this period, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru prefer them to come back and “not spoil the fair name of took two policy initiatives. Firstly, he made it clear that if the India”.30 Asian population of Africa was interested in settling down perThere was another factor that caused much disillusionmanently in the African countries, they must give up their atti- ment among overseas Indians. In the pre-independence peritude of hesitation and join the national mainstream of their od, they had assumed that, because of Indian nationalism, a adopted countries. Secondly, India would remain steadfast in great interest would be taken by India regarding them. Some

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prominence in India’s foreign policy objectives. The government time and again refused to regard automatically as Indian nationals those PIOs whose forefathers had settled abroad for many years unless they registered themselves as Indian citizens.

As a result, some of the overseas Indians became “stateless” because their country of domicile declined to extend them local citizenship. It will, therefore, be seen that while India has risked hostility and even engaged in armed conflicts whenever its national interest was at stake, the issue of overseas Indians never constituted an area of vital interest in its foreign policy perspectives.

The other reason for the government’s apathy towards the n fact, today many expatriate Indians in Africa do not diaspora issue was that India until recently paid little consididentify with India and its people anymore. They have eration to international trade. As a result, the importance of only symbolic identification. The fact is that they felt overseas trade networks provided by its diaspora was underabandoned on more than one occasion, and felt rejected by played.

This is an important reason why Indians in East Africa or Indian society, which does not regard them as real Indians.

The paradox was that in spite of the government of India’s in Hong Kong were not courted by the Indian government and Indian business, despite the potential commitment to Afro-Asian solidariThe Indian diaspora in Africa pay-offs. Indian fears of the outside ty and India’s consistent support to Africa’s liberation movement, not a even felt that India, in its anxiety world were reflected not just in its single African country offered any to cultivate African goodwill, was policies towards international trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), help to accommodate overseas not averse to condoning the but also in apathy bordering on bitIndians at the time of their expulsion injustice being committed terness towards its more successful from Uganda. Even at the time of the diaspora. In the last decade, the transSino-Indian border conflict, very few against them. This primarily formation of the ideological climate African countries extended support referred to India closing its in India and the success of the diasto the Indian cause. Among the doors to the British Asians pora, especially in the United States, African countries, only four states –– between 1968 and 1972 in their has resulted in much greater underCongo, Ethiopia, Libya and Nigeria standing among both.

–– gave diplomatic support to India; hour of need when they were The resulting lack of defensivefive others –– Kenya, Liberia, first pushed to leave East Africa, ness has been an important reason Tunisia, Mali and Somalia –– and later forcibly expelled. for the growing links and stronger expressed sympathy and concern; bonds, which have transformed relawhereas Ghana, Guinea and Tanzania took an unsupportive attitude towards India. Even tions between India and the diaspora.33 Nehru was not certain whether any Afro-Asian country had condemned China as an aggressor.32 t was only after 1990 that a significant change took place in the policy of the government of India with regard to However, it may be recalled that during both the wars –– the PIOs. This had started with the appreciation of forin 1962 with China and the Bangladesh war in 1971-72 –– the government appealed to overseas Indians and received massive eign remittances of nonresident Indians (NRIs) in the Gulf region and North Africa. This also provided a substantial addisupport from them.

What is evident here is a lack of proper policy framework tion to India’s foreign reserve requirements. In fact, India today or machinery in the government of India to deal with the is comfortably placed in its foreign exchange reserves because question of overseas Indians. Although, after independence, of remittances from overseas Indians.

In the early 1990s, the Indian government tried to woo there was a separate cell in the Ministry of External Affairs to look after the affairs of overseas Indians, it was not fully NRIs and Indian settlers abroad to attract FDI in their new equipped to study the overseas Indian question or suggest pol- drive towards globalisation. Special concessions were given to NRIs for investing their wealth in the Indian Industry, for seticy guidelines.

At critical junctures, these matters were taken up on a bilat- ting up new industrial ventures or simply for depositing foreral basis with the concerned foreign government. eign currency in their Indian bank accounts.

When the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to Subsequently, this cell became more or less inactive, to be power, it maintained close contact with the overseas Hindu revived in 1977 by the Janata Party government.

Thus, the question of overseas Indians did not receive any population, thus creating a support base among them. It stood of them even advocated that economic and judicial sanctions be taken on behalf of the overseas Indians wherever they have been harmed. However, there was no protection to overseas Indians by the government of independent India, which called on them to identify themselves with their countries of residence. As Nehru declared: “Certainly we do not like any country to ill-treat Indian citizens or Indian nationals or give them a place which is lower than those of others. But while India would do its utmost to protect legitimate interests, it would not protect any vested interests which injure the cause of the country they are in.”31

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for active and overt association of the overseas Indians as part of its foreign policy objectives. It helped to organise the first ever Conference of Parliamentarians of Indian origin, and introduced the PIO card. By paying a one-time fee of $1,000 for this card, overseas Indians got multiple entry visas for 20 years. The other advantage for PIO cardholders is that they enjoy all commercial rights, except in the case of purchase of agricultural land.34 The PIO card, in fact, is some kind of recognition by the government of India of its diasporic population. However, one cannot ignore the fact that, in spite of being successful professionals and businessmen in their host countries, the feeling of insecurity of being a minority persists among overseas Indians.

There is a need for the Indian diaspora to be united globally as we have seen in the case of the Chinese and the Jews.

The prosperous and confident overseas Indians have the potential to become a powerful lobby that can create a strong support base for India in foreign countries.

Thus, in order to develop the potential of the Indian diaspora to emerge as an important strategic asset, policies towards the diaspora have to be carefully chalked out. The government should treat diaspora at par with other foreigners on economic issues such as investment incentives, while treating them at par with residents Indians on civil, social and cultural rights. On the economic front, overseas Indians should be given the opportunity to work in the Indian private and the public sectors. Departments like research and development and education should be opened to overseas Indians. On the sensitive issue of political rights, overseas Indians should be allowed to avail of dual citizenship, but critically without the right to vote, unless they can be taxed.

Thus, the government of India may take into consideration these new developments in formulating its Africa policy and its policy towards overseas Indians in East Africa. The Indians in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mauritius and other Western and Southern African countries could be of significant help to India in rejuvenating its economy.

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BIBILOGRAPHY

Purshotamdas Thakurdas Research Centre), 1971, pp 10-11.

16. The Hindu, 18th October, 1961.

17. Biswas, Aparajita, ‘Indo-Kenyan Political and Economic Relations’, Delhi, Kanishka Publishing House, 1992.

18. Gregory, R.G., ‘India and East Africa: A History of Race Relations’, Op. cit.

19. Pant, Apa Saheb, ‘A moment of Time’, Bombay, Longman, 1974.

20. Ibid.

21. Tandon, Yash, ‘The Future of the Asians in East Africa’, Africa Contemporary Record, Current Affairs Series, London, Rex Collins, 1973.

22. Ibid.

23. 1bid.

24. Kondapi, C., ‘Indians Overseas, 1838-1941’, Bombay, 1951, ch 7. See also in this regard, Usha Mahajani, ‘India and People of Indian Origin Abroad’, in M.S., Rajan (ed), ‘India’s Foreign Relations During the Nehru Years’, Delhi.

25. Ibid.

26. Nanda, B.R., (ed), ‘Indian Foreign Policy –– the Nehru Years’, New Delhi, Vikash Pubishing House, 1976.

27. Ibid.

28. ibid.

29. ibid.

30. ibid.

31. ibid.

32. Gupta, Aniruddha, ‘Uganda Asians, Britain, India and the Commonwealth,’ African Affairs, Vol. 73, No. 292, London, July, 1974.

33. Kapur, Devesh, ‘Indian Diaspora as a Strategic Asset’, Economic and Political Weekly, February 1, 2003.

34. Dubey, Ajay, ‘India and Experience of Indian Diaspora in Africa’, Africa Quarterly, Vol. 40, No. 2, 2000.

1. Patterson, Orlando, ‘Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study’, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1982.

2. Paul Tiyamba Zeleza, ‘Rewriting the African diaspora: Beyond the Black Atlantic’, African Affairs, Vol. 104, No. 44, January 2005.

3. Braziel Jana Evans and Mannur Anita (eds), ‘Theorizing Diaspora: A Reader, Oxford, Blackwell’, 2003.

4. Butler, Kim ‘Brazilian Abolition in Afro-Atlantic Context’, African Studies Review, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2000, pp1.

5. Lall, M.C, ‘India’s Missed Opportunity: India’s Relations with the Non-Resident Indians’, England, Ashgate, 2001.

6. Biswas, Aparajita, ‘European Slave Route in the Indian Ocean Region’. Paper presented in the conference organized

by UNESCO, on ‘Oral Tradition and Slave Route’, in Mozambique, March 2004.

7. Gregory, R.G., ‘India and East Africa: A History of Race Realtions:1890-1939’, Oxford, O.U.P., 1971.

8. Ramchandani, R.R., ‘Uganda Asians: The End of an Enterprise’, Bombay, United Asia Publications, 1976, pp 84-87.

9. Rao, G.R., ‘Indian Immigration in Kenya –– A Survey’, Indian Economic Journal (Bombay), Vol. IV, 1956, pp 33-42 10. Thomas, R.L,.and Scott, Uganda, London, O.U.P., 1935, pp 313 11. ibid.

12. Ramchandani, R.R., ‘Uganda Asians :The End of an Enterprise’, Op. cit pp 84-87.

13. Ghai, Y., and Ghai, D., (eds), ‘Portrait of a Minority –– Asians in East Africa’, Nairobi, O.U.P., 1970.

14. Brown, J.M., ‘Kenyatta’, London, 1972, pp 233.

15. ‘Indians in East Africa’, Bombay (published by Sir

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‘We are very committed to the AFRICAN CAUSE’ Egyptian Ambassador to India Dr. Kheir El Din Abdel Latif speaks to Manish Chand about India-Egypt relations, India’s role in creating a resurgent Africa, the future of U.N. reforms and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Q: What kind of role do you see for Egypt in creating a resurglobal community is vital for solving Africa’s problems like gent Africa? civil, ethnic strife and debt burden. There is also need for A: The role of Egypt is not new to Africa. Ties between Egypt more fair trade with Africa and the opening of markets for and the rest of Africa are deep and cover a broad spectrum of African products. shared interests. Geographically, culturally and economicalQ: Are you happy with the state of the India-Egypt relations? ly, this role is a deeply embedded one. There is migration from A: Relations between India and Egypt are ancient and go back Egypt to all parts of Africa. The River millennia in time. There is strong civiliNile extends deep into Africa. There are sational and cultural commonality 10 states on both sides of the Nile. between the two counties. In ancient We interact in Africa through various times, the Egyptians were keen to trade in mechanisms like the Economic strategic commodities like frankincense Community of West African States and spice. Frankincense was used to exor(ECOWAS), the Economic Community cise evil spirits and spices were used for of Central African States (ECCAS) and embalming the bodies of pharaohs. The the Organisation of African Unity trade in these commodities was linked to (OAU). However, with globalisation beliefs of the pharaohs. This ancient relathere are new emerging modes of intertionship was reconfirmed in modern action with the world. We are trying to times. There is a huge reservoir of congrapple with serious problems like how fidence, good faith and good wishes to eradicate poverty, disease, illiteracy and between the people of India and Egypt. various ways in which we can help the We can always build on that.

African causes.

Q: The world has changed a lot from the Egypt played an important role in the heyday of the anti-colonial struggle and liberation of African states. We maintain the struggle for emancipation. How can ‘Our President has great diplomatic relations with all the African India play a more effective role in the develregard for India. He makes opment of Africa? states.

Q: In what ways can Egypt support what A: Egypt believes that the best way to it a point to meet every you have called “African causes”? work in Africa is to work through multiIndian delegation that visits lateral organisations like the AU (African A: We have set up the African Fund that Egypt. We have all along provides training in all walks of life. The Union). This represents the collective Africa Fund, very much like India’s ITEC been great friends of India. conscience of Africa. India has reaffirmed (Indian Technical and Economic faith in this relationship through its There is never an Cooperation programme), provides eco‘Focus Africa’ policy. India is already international meeting nomic and technical assistance to various involved in a wide array of activities like African countries. With all our contele-medicine, tele-education and the without a consultation straints, we never compromise on our ongoing battle against AIDS. India is between India and Egypt.’ engaged in economic reconstruction of commitment to this fund.

We are very committed to the African Africa through New Partnership in cause. Africa, in order to play its role in the world, needs the Africa’s Development (NEPAD). India has a big role to play support of the international community. The support of the in peacekeeping and peace-building in African countries. Our

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President has great regard ly appreciated. He is a friend for India. He makes it a of the Arab world and he point to meet every Indian will be in a position to find delegation that visits Egypt. ways and means to activate We have all along been great India’s role in the Middle friends of India. There is East peace process. The never an international meetinternational community ing without a consultation must make a renewed push between India and Egypt. for peace in the region.

Q: What kind of role do you Q: How can India and Egypt see for the Indian diaspora in cooperate to make the reforms promoting India-Africa relaof the United Nations possitions? ble?

A: There is a large and influA: The world of today is not ential community of Indian the same as it was in 1945. A expatriates in African counchange should take place in tries. Expatriates can act as a the U.N. to cope with the bridge between India and new realities. It’s a totally Africa and can contribute to different world we live in. economic development of This should be reflected in the region. The Indian com- Egyptian Ambassador to India Kheir El Din Abdel Latif, right, with film- the present structure of the munity in Africa is growing. star Amitabh Bachchan, left, who is extremely popular in Egypt, at a U.N. If we are talking of social gathering at the Ambassador’s residence in New Delhi.

A large number of Indians democratising at the nationgo to African countries to work in the IT sector. Technicians, al and international levels, then the U.N. should be democradoctors and engineers from India are in great demand in the tised. The U.N. can’t preach others to be democratic withAfrican countries. out first democratising itself. Besides, development is closeQ: What can be done to boost trade and economic relations ly interwoven with peace and security based on internationbetween the two countries? al legitimacy and the U.N. charter. We strongly believe that A: There is a tremendous potential to increase the volume of a balance should be struck between the General Assembly and trade between the two sides. The two-way trade is close to $1 the Security Council. We should give an enhanced role to the billion with the balance of trade in Egypt’s favour. India is one General Assembly in international relations. The Security of the top 10 investors in Egypt. There are big Indian investCouncil should be based on methods of work based on transments in Egypt. The total Indian investment in Egypt will parency. exceed $1 billion in a year or two.

We believe that the ECOSOC should be strengthened. It Q: India and Egypt have been the pioneers of the Non-Aligned has a major role to play in solving unemployment and underMovement (NAM). Some say the movement has lost its steam development in many countries. We are for reforming the in the post-Cold War unipolar world. How can India and International Court of Justice and support a greater role for Egypt come together to revive the NAM? civil society in world affairs.

A: We never thought the NAM should be disbanded. We Q: What is Egypt’s position on the G-4 plan and India’s bid thought of refurbishing the NAM and giving it a new look for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council? and direction on the basis of shared goals, causes and visions.

A: We believe in all-encompassing U.N. reforms and not Let’s not forget that the NAM is one of the largest blocs of just reform of the Security Council. Our position on the nations and it has a huge reservoir of goodwill among develU.N. reforms is the one enunciated by the AU in its Harare oping countries of the world. Why should we squander this Declaration in 1997. It was decided at Harare that the Africans goodwill? should get 4-5 non-permanent seats and two permanent seats Unless there is a bloc of like-minded nations, we can’t to be occupied on a rotational basis. This African consensus promote the cause of developing countries in the world. was confirmed at Addis Ababa. Africa alone will decide the That’s why the NAM is more relevant: It continues to be a issue and without external interference. This is the only way beacon of hope and a defender of the legitimate interests of to advance African unity and solidarity.

Third World countries.

Q: What can be done to boost tourism and people-to-people Q: Both Israel and Palestine want India to play a bigger role contacts between the two countries? in the Middle East peace process. What kind of role do you see A: Egypt is a big tourist destination for India. Nearly 50,000 for India in this all-important dialogue?

Indians visited Egypt last year. Indian tourists are received very A: India is a friend of the Arab world. It has a lot of affiliations warmly in Egypt. There is spontaneous goodwill for them –– and associations with the Arab world. It enjoys trust and conso much so that some taxi drivers don’t charge a penny from fidence of the Arab world. India’s move to appoint Chinmoy Indian tourists. We opened an office to promote tourism in Gharekhan as special envoy to the Middle East has been wideMumbai recently.

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Partnering SADC As it marks its 25th anniversary year, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is preparing to expand and consolidate its ties with India. Dr. Suresh Kumar writes about the potential that India-SADC relations hold.

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ndia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are readying for an expansion and consolidation of their multifaceted ties during the 25th anniversary year of the multi-lateral organisation that took its current shape over a decade ago to promote a common economic community. The formation of the SADC is based on the premise that underdevelopment, exploitation, deprivation and backwardness in Southern Africa would be overcome through economic cooperation and integration. One of the major aims of the SADC is to “secure international understanding, cooperation and support and mobilise the inflow of public and private resources into the region”.1 The new market economy has influenced the SADC as a regional bloc. SADC is moving ahead to build regional community, peace, security, democratic governance and economic integration. “I am confident that the SADC vision, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan of the organ provide us with a road map for the development of our community over the next decade,” former Mauritius Prime Minister Paul Berenger wrote, capturing the spirit of India-SADC relations. Mauritius is the current chairman of SADC. “As we re-engineer our own regional integration process, we also need to foster better linkages with other regional economic communities in consonance with the African Union’s vision, mission and strategic plan,” he said.

He added: “Our common destiny is also linked to the closeness of the relations we seek to establish with the rest of the world, beyond our continent. In this respect, I am deeply grateful to India for the commitment it has shown in helping us achieve our key objectives in a spirit of Afro-Asian friendship, solidarity and partnership. India and SADC are bound by common history and a shared vision of the future.”2 Southern Africa Development Coordination Council (SADCC) was formed in Lusaka on April 1, 1980, with Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe as members.

Democratic Republic of Congo (1998), Mauritius (1995),

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Namibia and South Africa after their independence joined SADCC in later years. Madagascar finalised accession at the summit in August this year while the application of Rwanda will be considered soon.

SADCC took the shape of SADC on August 17, 1992, in Windhoek with the aim of developing a regional community, which will safeguard economic well-being and ensure improvement in the standard of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice, and peace and security for the peoples of southern Africa. During the cold war period, the SADC played a dynamic political role in the struggle against apartheid in the liberation struggle in southern Africa and the establishment of democratic governance in this region. This period witnessed the solidarity, unity and brotherhood among the SADC members in confronting common socio-economic problems like poverty eradication and in ensuring peace and prosperity of the region.

Most of SADC members have had successful elections that give a clear expression of the region’s commitment to democracy. SADC is working towards the harmonisation of its macro-economic policies in order to create necessary conditions for integration of their economies at both the regional and global levels.

The SADC has set up an organ on “politics, defence and security cooperation” under the leadership of South African President Thabo Mbeki. It has energised continental mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution. To promote real democracy in this region, national elections are conducted under the “governing democratic election” resolution adopted at the SADC summit in Mauritius in 2004.

The SADC is also setting up legal frameworks providing a wide array of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for new business and joint ventures that include duty exemptions on raw materials and equipment.

SADC has established different centres to promote trade like the Zimbabwe Investment Centre, Namibian Investment Centre and Enterprise Mauritius. The group provides institutional guarantee under Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) to attract investment in various memberstates. It implemented the liberalisation of intra-regional trade

November 2005

A F R I C A on September 1, 2000, and has decided to establish SADC as a Free Trade Area by 2008.

In an address to the South African parliament on September 15, 2004, Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam outlined his vision of India’s partnership with SADC. In order to realise developed India by 2020, five key areas have been identified for integrated action: One, Agriculture and food processing –– with a target of 400 million tonnes per annum of foodgrains as well as others with different targets and agricultural products. Agriculture, with the help of a second green revolution and agro food processing, would bring food security and prosperity to rural people and speed up the country’s economic growth, President Kalam said.

Two, education and healthcare that aims to increase the employment potential leading to social security and population control. Three, infrastructure development, including reliable and quality electric power for all parts of the country, which is vital for all the core sectors.

“Four, information and communication technology is one of India’s core competencies. It can help industry and commerce, promote education in remote areas, create massive employment and provide healthcare to remote areas, and Five, critical technologies and strategic industries that includes nuclear, space, ocean, defence and other frontier technologies which aim at providing sustained growth and selfreliance for the nation. “Foreign investors and partners too have an important role to play. It is all the more important that friendly countries like us share our expertise and core strengths to speed up our own growth.”3 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SADC

T

he SADC Summit Declaration in May 2004 on agriculture and food security reaffirms its commitment to ensure accelerated agricultural development and sustainable food security in accordance with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the Declaration of the World Food Summit 2002 and the SADC’s RISDP.4 Angola’s subsistence agriculture feeds 85 percent of its population. The Democratic Republic of Congo offers foreign investment in food and others sector related to it. Lesotho’s

Q U A R T E R L Y

economy is primarily based on subsistence agriculture and invites investors in food processing and other similar industries. Malawi is predominantly an agricultural economy with 90 percent of its population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for nearly 40 percent of GDP and 88 percent of export revenues. Mauritius is known for its sugarcane cultivation and covers 90 percent of cultivated land and 32 percent export earnings of total merchandise trade. Subsistence agriculture in Mozambique and Namibia involve a major part of their workforce. Food and related products and agro processing are the priority area of development in South Africa economy. In Swaziland, a land-locked country, 80 percent of the population depends on subsistence agriculture.

Tanzania’s economy depends heavily on agriculture and employs 80 percent of the workforce. Only 15 percent of Zambia’s 60 million hectares of arable land is presently under cultivation. Zimbabwe needs agriculture technology for sustainable development and offers vast scope for investment in the agriculture sector.

In addition, SADC promotes the tourism industry through the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) and the “Okavango Project” (OUZFIT), which consists of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Moreover, SADC addresses the needs of the market economy.

As Bayano Valy writes: “SADC stock exchanges have resolved to concentrate on loose cooperation after clarifying the sticky issues that seemed to slow down progress towards an integrated real-time network of the region’s national bourses by 2006. The capital market is one area where integration is yet to be realised and the chiefs of the region’s bourses are in the process of building closer coloration, which will eventually lead to integration of stock exchanges in the region.”5 INDIA’S RESPONSE

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t is the right time to focus on agricultural policies in the SADC region and document its vital role in strengthening agricultural technique and food output value. India’s experience in the agro-industrial sector, water management and irrigation techniques, non-farm rural employment sector and rural development can be harnessed for the development

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S O U T H E R N

F O C U S

of the region. mittee pursues a three-point agenda: Focus Besides, there are common problems on core issues of industry; interaction with each country faces. For example, 70 percent African missions in India and Indian misof land in India and in the SADC region is sions in Africa; and partner and assist the dry land, which urgently requires a cohesive government of India in its specific Africaresponse. related initiatives.8 A bi-monthly electronic newsletter is cirThe focus on agriculture, however, culated to Indian industry, CII’s MoU partshouldn’t be at the cost of industries. SADC ners in Africa, Indian missions in Africa, has vast reserves of mineral resources that African missions in India, key policymakers can accelerate the region’s economic growth. in India and Africa to provide them latest SADC is rightly focussing its energies on information on economic, industrial and overcoming problems like poverty, food cripolitical scenario in Africa. The CII has sis and underdevelopment. India and developed an integrated strategy for proSAADC have rich resources, a good climate moting Indian exports into Africa to supand ample water. The concentration on agriplement ‘Focus Africa’ programme of the culture, along with industries, requires a susIndian Ministry of Commerce and tainable policy in this region.

Industry. This strategy includes: The private sector is the backbone ‘Our common destiny is also Identifying focus markets in Africa; of the Indian economy and accounts linked to the closeness of the identifying products with potential for 70 percent of GDP. India has relations we seek to establish for export to focus markets; semialmost 3.57 million units in the nars/workshops for export opportusmall-scale sector, employing about with the rest of the world, nities; trade delegations to focus 20 million people. This sector conbeyond our continent. In this countries; participation in sector-spetributes $165 billion to the Indian respect, I am deeply grateful to cific fairs in focus countries, Made in economy.

With a view to enhance India’s India for the commitment it has India/Enterprise shows.9 Export-Import Bank of India trade with Africa, the government of shown in helping us achieve our (EXIM India) operates a number of India launched an integrated programme, ‘Focus Africa’, from the key objectives in a spirit of Afro- financing and support programmes year 2002-03. The main objective of Asian friendship, solidarity and to facilitate and promote India’s trade the programme is to increase inter- partnership. India and SADC are and investment in the African region.

The EXIM Bank operates a proaction between the two regions by identifying areas of bilateral trade and bound by common history and a gramme to support overseas investment by the Indian promoter investment. The ‘Focus Africa’ proshared vision of the future.’ gramme emphasised on seven major –– Paul Berenger, Former through joint ventures/ whollyowned subsidies. Such support trading partners of the region, nameMauritius Prime Minister includes finance in select cases, ly, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, directs participation in equity along Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana, which together account for around 69 percent of with the Indian promoter, to set up such ventures overseas.10 India’s total bilateral trade with the sub-Saharan Africa region.6 With a view to enhancing the competitiveness of Indian The CII Africa Committee has the mandate to further busi- exports and to identify Indian trade and investment potential, ness cooperation that helps establish a symbiotic relationship EXIM India periodically conducts research studies on counbetween India and emerging African economies. The com- tries/regions/sectors/industry and on macro-economic issues mittee, through wide-ranging activities, relating to international trade and finance, and works closely ! Develops strategies to enhance economic, industrial and with the government of India on these issues. trade relations EXIM India has also come out with a bilingual (English and ! Identifies areas of mutual cooperation French) magazine titled ‘Indo-African Business’ which focus! Highlights issues of concern and evolves suitable policy rec- es on bilateral trade and investment between India and Africa. ommendations The magazine addresses the business information needs of ! Frames guidelines and checklists for different forms of companies that are interested in trade with the African region. industrial cooperation, and It has a representative office in Johannesburg, South Africa, ! Represents industry sectors seeking greater mutual cooper- which plays a role in facilitating economic cooperation with ation.7 the African region, and is closely associated with several other Besides, the CII has institutional agreements with 32 coun- banks’ initiatives. terpart organisations in 18 African countries with the objecFood security is another important arena of cooperation tive of facilitating exchange of information and promoting between India and SADC. A key policy research identifies the business interests of Indian and African industry. The com- combination of technologies and institutions which will give

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November 2005

A F R I C A access to food to local communities and regions in Ethiopia.

A coherent food strategy includes India-SADC investments on new technology and agricultural research; human capital and managerial skills produced by investments in schools, training, and on-the-job experience; physical capital investments in rural infrastructure such as irrigation, dams and roads; and farmer support institutions such as marketing, credit and extension services.

It is important to transform subsistence agriculture into science-based intensive agriculture by adopting promising indigenous practices combined with selective use of improved technologies like inorganic fertilizers, better equipment, improved seeds, and improved soil conservation and agro forestry practices. Improved technologies and use of farm capital is the most promising path to achieve the goals of greater productivity, food security and sustainability in most agro-climate zones. Overall, the challenge of eradicating absolute poverty in this region is best achieved by pursuing an economic growth strategy that transforms the current low productivity in agricultural sector.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS

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ndia has economic relations with all the regional organisations in Africa as nearly all of them are inter-related.

India and South Africa have launched an important initiative to convert South African Customs Union (SACU) from Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The five member-states of SACU –– Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland –– and India have robust trade relations, with the trade turnover increasing from $900 million in 1997-98 to $2,500 million in 2003-04.11 India has strongly supported the objectives of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The government of India has already committed $200 million for this purpose, which will be utilised through credit line grants.12 According to NEPAD, “Africa needs a growth rate of 6-8 percent to reach its cherished Millennium Development Goals; and to achieve this rate of growth as a continual basis over a long run, impressive foreign direct investment inflows are needed. Many African countries have undergone significant economic reforms and liberalised their markets and trade, and widened the scope of operation of their private sector in tune with the winds of globalisation.”13 President Y.K. Museveni, chairman of the Common Market for Eastern and South Africa (COMESA), writes, “We are even addressing the issue of excessive balkanisation of the continent (with 53 states compared to three in North America) in a variety of ways, including economic blocs like SADC, COMESA and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The world, therefore, needs to encourage these positive trends in Africa by opening up their markets on a quota-free, tariff-free basis.”14 There are great opportunities that COMESA offers for Indian businessmen. The trade and market integration is bound to have spillover trade effects of foreign investment in

Q U A R T E R L Y

promising sectors such as textiles and apparel, agriculture and infrastructure, particularly financial infrastructure.15 The East Africa Community (EAC) is a group of three major countries of East Africa, namely Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. EAC Custom Union was signed on January 1, 2005, and India looks forward to it. India’s three-band Common External Tariff structure of 0 percent, 10 percent and 25 percent will apply to goods imported into East Africa. The preferential treatment under COMESA and SADC shall continue to apply during the transition period.

INDIA-SADC RELATIONS

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t is indeed a reflection of India’s confidence in the economic potential of the SADC region that an MoU on economic cooperation was signed between India and SADC in October 1997. This comprehensive agreement envisages cooperation in diverse sectors such as agriculture, health, economic development, water resource management, human resource development, promotion of small and medium enterprises, communications, commerce, banking, trade and investment.

The then SADC chair (Angola) and Indian external affairs minister agreed to set up a SADC-India Forum on July 17, 2003, and identified focus areas like agriculture, small- and medium-scale industries, pharmaceuticals and human resource development.

The forthcoming SADC-India Forum dialogue will provide a plan of action to actualise development goals of the SADC region. It will undoubtedly strengthen the existing relations and pave the way for more and maximum cooperation in the mutual interest of SADC and India. “The forum will provide a platform for SADC and India to engage in policy dialogue, agree on priority areas of cooperation and formally established cooperation arrangements between SADC and India in the spirit of South-South cooperation. The proposed areas of cooperation are agriculture, trade and investment, water resources management, promotion of small- and medium-scale industries and entrepreneurial development, drugs and pharmaceuticals, human resources development and information technology.”16 In response, the government of India said: “We look forward to increased cooperation with the member-countries of SADC, both bilaterally and multilaterally, as a part of our policy of fostering close links with Africa as a whole and are confident that enhanced cooperation between SADC and India will yield rich dividends for both the sides.”17 Then Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh hailed this spirit of India-SADC cooperation on the 25th anniversary of the SADC. “The SADC constitutes one of the most important regional organisations in Africa and we attach utmost importance to strengthen our relationship and ties with it in different sectors. The main objectives for which the SADC was founded include, raising the standard of living of the people of this region, improving the quality of their life and promotion of peace and security. These are the ideals, which we in India too fully share and keep before us in our own

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S O U T H E R N

F O C U S

march towards development.18 The Ministry of External Affairs ministry noted this expansion in India-SADC economic relationship. “India’s commercial and economic links with SADC have registered a marked improvement during recent years. There are undoubtedly ample opportunities for further expanding the interaction between India and SADC in commercial, economic and other arenas. India also appreciates the consistent support received by it from SADC member’s countries in multilateral fora on issues of vital concern to it.”19 Table 1 elaborates the major product description of imports from India and Table 2 emphasizes the potential of major product description of exports from India.

T

he EXIM Bank study shows that India has robust trade relations with the SADC countries with trade turnover more than doubling from $1.5 billion in 1997-98 to $3.4 billion in 2003-04. India’s trade balance has, however, dramatically swung from a surplus of $68 million to a deficit of $81.8 million over the same period.20 This is primarily due to nearly a three-fold increase of Indian imports from SADC over the period, while exports have not varied significantly over the years. South Africa is the largest trading partner among the SADC countries, accounting for more than 42 percent of total Indian exports to SADC. Almost all major South African companies have invested heavily in other SADC countries, elsewhere in Africa and, indeed, globally, although South Africa remains an important business centre for all of them. De Beers has managed Botswana’s diamond mining industry since 1969 through Debswana, a joint venture with the local government.

Zimbabwe is the second-largest SADC economy, yet even before the emergence of its current political uncertainties, it never succeeded in attracting FDI flows comparable to those entering other countries.

South Africa’s participation in the SADC comprising 14 Sub-Saharan African countries allows access to a market of approximately 140 million, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 3 percent. South Africa has also turned its attention to pursuing agreements for South-South cooperation through the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Forum.

“A business delegation that visited South Africa and a report prepared by the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry mentioned that there is a huge market for Indian products and tremendous opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs”.21 Early this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Mauritius and signed bilateral agreements on diverse areas, including trade.

Moreover, SADC countries offer opportunities in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Tourism, pharmaceuticals, electronics, computer software and accessories, information technology related products, financial services and textiles hold large potential for Indian investors.

Despite many important initiatives to promote trade relations, Africa is still a largely uncharted territory for Indian business. The existing level of business ties between India and Africa does not reflect the full potential. The consolidation of Indo-Africa economic cooperation, bilateral or multilateral, can usher in a new era of South-South cooperation. Both the design and implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol suffers from some critical weaknesses.

The differentiation and back-loading of tariff reduction schedules; restrictive rules of origin and excessive concerns about the costs and risks of intra-regional tariff liberalisation as well as the slow pace of implementation of agreed commitments are likely to undermine the potential benefits to be gained from the trade protocol.

Besides, all SADC countries are facing the challenge of adjusting their economies to the rapid pace of globalisation and the progressive opening up of national economies to trade and factor markets. The smallness of the SADC market does not serve as a sufficient base to develop industries that can compete in wider markets behind trade barriers.

International trade and openness to it has to play an important role in the region’s strategy to stimulate growth and export competitiveness.

Paul Kalenga writes, “Four things should be done to prevent the Trade Protocol from being yet another failed regional integration instrument in Africa: Fast-track the tariff liberalisation process so that by 2008 substantial intra-SADC trade is duty free; design a clear program to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade within a transparent rules-based framework; reform the SADC rules of origin towards the promotion of

Table 1 1. BOTSWANA: Cotton yarn, excluding thread; articles of rubber; industrial diamonds; textile and leather machinery; paper and paperboard; medicaments; optical fiber; printed books and globes; piston engines; and special industrial machinery.

2. LESOTHO: Goods vehicles; medicaments; portland cement; soap; wooden furniture; cigarettes; footwear; clothing accessories; blankets and travelling rugs; motor vehicle parts; cotton and woven fabric.

3. NAMIBIA: Iron and steel tubes; special industrial machinery; offset printing machinery; medicaments; optical fiber; motorcycles and cycles; piston engines; other chemi-

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cal elements; electrical circuit equipment; hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

4. SOUTH AFRICA: Rice; leather and leather goods; medicaments, diamonds; all kinds of spices; textile yarn; motor vehicle parts as well as accessories; dyeing and tanning color materials; pharmaceutical products; and all kinds of household linen.

5. SWAZILAND: India’s share in Swaziland’s total imports is negligible –– that shows the tremendous trade potential exit between the two countries.

(Source: Compiled from ITC, Geneva, Trade Analysis System, 2004.)

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Q U A R T E R L Y

Table 2 1. BOTSWANA: Passenger transport vehicles; portland cement; medicaments; metal structures and parts; printed Looks, globes, etc.; motor vehicle parts; wooden furniture; sugars, beat or cane; raw, insulated wire and optical fiber; milled and semi-milled rice; electrical circuit equipment accessories; diamonds; rubber tyres and treads; soap.

2. LESOTHO: Goods vehicles; medicaments; portland cement; soap; wooden furniture; cigarettes; footwear; clothing accessories; blankets and travelling rugs; motor vehicles; hand and machine tools; rubber tyres and treads; cut paper and board; sewing machine parts; cotton and woven fabric.

3. NAMIBIA: Passenger transport vehicles; ships, boats; motor vehicle parts; medicaments; goods vehicles; tanks, casks/drums; office equipment accessories; textiles/leather machinery; metal structures/parts; portland cement; aircraft parts; wires/cables; antibiotics; iron-steel articles; diamonds.

4. SOUTHAFRICA: Passenger transport vehicles; medical instruments; electrical circuit equipment; specialised industrial machinery; ships and boats; motor vehicle parts; medicaments; goods vehicles; telecommunications equipment; musical instruments and records; paper and paper board; milled rice; computer equipment; internal combustion engines; oilcake; oil seed residue; printed matter; chemical products; office equipment accessories.

5. SWAZILAND: Knit and crochet fabric; passenger transport vehicles; goods vehicles; motor vehicle parts; wheat; television and radio transmitters; portland cement; plastic containers; medicaments; food processing machines; sweetened concentrated milk; cream; frozen bovine meat; wheeled tractors; soap; wooden furniture.

(Source: Compiled from ITC, Geneva, Trade Analysis System, 2004.)

international competitiveness and investment; as well as moving towards the reduction and harmonisation of external levels of protection. This will facilitate the region’s gradual and smooth integration into the world economy.”22 SADC countries’ principal exports continue to be sold in world markets. There are limited prospects in the short to medium term of increased exports to SADC despite preferential market access (except for South Africa). The entire SADC regional market is very small by international standards with aggregate gross domestic product (GDP) of about $187.7 billion in 2000, of which South Africa contributes over 70 percent.23 This limits the scope for an inward-looking regional trade strategy. Therefore, for many SADC members (if not all) the

SADC Trade Protocol is only useful if it is used as a platform for improving global competitiveness.

Overall, there are mainly three barriers to enhancing IndoSADC economic cooperation: the non-uniform trade regulations in the SADC countries; poor transport infrastructure in the region; and inadequate communication infrastructure.

As a result, India and other interested countries do not have requisite information about the regional market both in terms of demand and supply conditions.

To sum up, there is a real possibility of PTA and a subsequent move to FTA and scrapping of double taxation. There is no doubt that a FTA between India and SADC will significantly enhance bilateral trade. A long-term approach to translate FTA into reality is therefore the need of the hour.

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REFERENCES

Paper No.8, Export- Import Bank of India, Delhi, February 2005, p.2) 12. Partnership 2005, South Africa & India, South African High Commission, New Delhi, September 2005, p. 17 13. African Digest, Third Quarter, 2005, Indo-Africa society, Delhi, pp. 37-38 14. COMESA-India Relations, Indo-African society, August 2005, p.6 15. Ibid, p.19.

16. SADC AT 25, op.cit, p.6.

17. Ibid, p.5.

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. For More, India-Africa Project Partnership, 2-4th March 2005, CII, Delhi.

21. The Hindu, Delhi, August 1, 2005.

22. Paul Kalenga, Implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol: Some Reflections, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3090, June 2003.

23. SADC, Annual Documents, 2003.

1. Article 5, Objectives, Southern African Development Community Charter, 1980.

2. SADC AT 25, The High Commission of Mauritius, Delhi, August 2005, p.4.

3. Partnership 2005, South Africa & India, South African High Commission, New Delhi, September 2005, p. 31 4. Ibid, p.15.

5. Bayano Valy, “SADC Bourses Pave Way for Gradual Integration”, Review of African Political Economy, Roape No100, 2004, Carfax Publishing, UK, p.376.

6. CII India-Africa Project Partnership 2005, Background paper, Delhi, p.26.

7. Ibid, p.11.

8. Ibid, p.25 9. Ibid, p.26 10. Ibid.

11. Southern African Custom Union (SACU) A Study of India’s Trade and Investment Potential, working Paper Series

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C U L T U R E

&

H E R I T A G E

WANTED: A language for African Renaissance Rashmi Kapoor argues for the need for a pan-African language that will not only serve as the lingua franca of diverse peoples bound by a common history and culture, but can become an effective vehicle of an African renaissance.

D

isney’s animated movie ‘The Lion King’ features words and phrases like “Simba” (lion), “rafiki” (friend) and “hakuna matata” (no problems). These are not imaginary words or phrases but are borrowed from the Swahili language.

The Swahili phrase “Nakupenda pia, nakutaka pia, mpenzi we”(I love you, and I want you, my dear) is part of the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s popular number ‘Liberian Girl’. “Malaika, Nakupenda, Malaika” (Angel, I love you), a Swahili song, has been an instant hit the world over. These celebrated Swahili words and phrases are so popular that they have put Swahili language high up on the linguistic map of the world. Swahili is a Bantu1 language, largely spoken on the east coast of Africa.

It was basically a trade language that developed into a language of wider communication.

The Organisation of the African Unity (OAU), founded in 1963 for mutual cooperation and the elimination of colonialism in Africa, had approved Swahili as a working language several years ago. It’s successor, the newly-formed African Union (AU), adopted it as an official language in July 2004.

The renewed interest of the AU in indigenous African languages is to consciously reposition and empower these languages so as to rediscover and redefine African cultural identity, and through it promote African unity.

New currents of globalisation are shaping events in a modern world. A remarkable and outstanding feature of the world today is a multiplicity of linkages and interconnections between states and societies. Enterprises related or unrelated become interdependent and inter-linked globally through strategic alliances and international networks.2 As a consequence, the dominant forces of the globalisation are bringing states closer, enhancing integration, weakening both economic and political barriers and are facilitating the collapse of socio-cultural boundaries. Nations have become more interdependent due to cross-border trade and a global market, resulting in a global culture. Global culture has spawned consumers even in the remotest of places, who earlier had little or

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no access to the large variety of goods and services.

At the same time, the currents of globalisation have also polarized the world into the rich North and the poor South.

The rich North has been well integrated into the global network. Whereas the situation is just the reverse for the South, which is disunited and marginalised. It has become extremely difficult for the nations of the South to individually compete with ever-increasing challenges of the developed economies. For some amount of bargaining power and effective participation in the global economy, it is now imperative for the countries of the South to unite and integrate by having closer regional ties.3 Likewise, the pressures of international economy have forced the African countries to make efforts to promote regional integration and cooperation. This realisation has been actualised in the creation of regional, economic and trading blocs.4 The numbers of these regional organisations has increased from 20 to nearly 100 since its initial establishment.5 In fact, at first these regional and sub-regional groupings were more economically and politically viable, but later they served as building blocs towards a continental unification. The sustained efforts and the political will of the people of Africa and its leaders to unite crystallised into the formation of the AU on July 9, 2002, in Durban, South Africa. It is widely acknowledged that the AU would create an enhanced form of cooperation and integration necessary to meet the new challenges of the changing continent and a changing world.6 This then seems to be the appropriate time for ushering in and flourishing of the African Renaissance,7 the concept most zealously professed by President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.

These recent fruitful efforts of creating an integrated Africa have historical roots. There is a conviction that unlike today, Africa originally was one whole black nation without spatial divisions but comprising several tribes. Later in history, divisions and distinctions developed, criss-crossing the whole of Africa. Divided Africa created a very congenial atmosphere for the colonials to thrive and rule. Some conscious efforts were made to re-unite Africa but they too were miserably unsuccessful.

Real serious attempts for the unification of Africans gained

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A F R I C A

Q U A R T E R L Y

momentum in the latter part of 19th and early part of 20th cen- but it seems to be a composite of European Union, the Council tury when the Pan-Africanism movement began worldwide. of Europe and the United Nations. It also has a number of offiThis movement called for all the people of African origin to cial bodies. The AU is promoting the use of African languages unite, not limiting itself to the continent of Africa. Initially, the in its official work where it’s possible. But it has also approved protagonists of this movement were the black Americans and of Arabic, English, French and Portuguese as official languages.

Caribbeans. Later, by 1922, Marcus Garvey coined the term All these languages are foreign languages. In July 2004, Swahili “a Negro Renaissance”8 or “the First Black Renaissance” or was accepted as one of the official languages of the AU. “The Harlem Renaissance” to refer to the philosophy that This attempt is considered by many to be a new African would encourage self-reliance and restore confidence of the Renaissance different from African Renaissance envisaged earBlacks which they had enjoyed in ancient times. This intend- lier. The current African Renaissance is popular and has ed to define the nature of the Black received wide and enthusiastic supAmerican’s debate with himself and port from academics throughout his culture. All these movements the African continent. Mbeki has were predominantly addressing the described the process of African issues of identity, status and unity of Renaissance as “a process of rebirth, Black Americans. renewal, revival, revitalisation, In Africa, it was as late as the reawakening, self-reinvention and 1950s that Kwame Nkrumah, the rededication, characterised by a then Prime Minister of Ghana, surge of interest in learning and preached the need for all the counvalue orientation.”12 U.N. Secretary General Kofi tries of Africa to unite. Nkrumah Annan further stressed that this and several other African leaders (AU’s) historic effort will require insisted that “Africa’s political indeleadership, courage and a willingpendence and dignity of its people ness to depart from the ways of the could not be fully achieved and propast, if it is to do for Africa what the tected without a United States of EU has done for Europe13. This Africa.”9 In the 1960s, President Julius implies that Africa “must reject the Nyerere of Tanzania idealised ways of the past, and commit itself primitivism of ujamaa10 (African to building a future of democratic Socialism) and later South Africa’s governance, subject to the rule of Swahili-speaking areas Steve Biko’s11 Black Consciousness law”.14 It is imperative then that the process of Movement came up –– both were foreThe African linguistic de-colonisation must begin immediately. runners to the formation of a united situation is very complex It should aim to create spaces that will be Africa. It was in Addis Ababa in May 1963 used for critical reflection and regenerathat the OAU was formed. Only 32 of the due to the multiplicity of then independent states became its mem- indigenous languages and tion of visions for Africa based on African concepts of justice, creativity and harmober. Over the years, the OAU became an ineffective organisation. This may be due the existence of colonial or ny.

But these spaces have to be extended to to the dilution of the spirit of Panforeign languages. The the masses of Africa rather than left only Africanism and disillusionment due to its dominant colonial to the leaders and professionals or elites. lack of control over the member-states. languages have not only For African masses to be part of today’s Finally, the sustained efforts of the leadeconomically integrated world, they have ers of African states saw the launching of marginalised the use of to be able to communicate effectively. the 53-member AU, replacing the OAU African languages but This can only be possible by resorting to in July 2002. Morocco is the only African have also led to the the use of languages that are easily accesnation that has chosen not to be a member. development of a negative sible to the majority. These languages can be none other than the indigenous lanThe AU aims to help promote democattitude towards them. guages of Africa and not the imposed racy, human rights and development colonial languages. Hence, linguistic across Africa. It has been proposed to realise these aims by increasing foreign investment through the renaissance has to be a necessary precursor to an African renaisNew Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) pro- sance.

The African linguistic situation is very complex due to the gramme. Its goal was to have an African Parliament and Central Development Bank. The Pan-African Parliament was multiplicity of indigenous languages and the existence of coloopened officially on September 16, 2004, in Midrand, South nial or foreign languages.15 The dominant colonial languages Africa. Though the AU is modelled after the European Union, have not only marginalised the use of African languages but

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have also led to the development of a negative attitude towards to be used as an African lingua franca is Swahili. This does not them. In order to improve the status of African languages, imply ignorance or negation of linguistic diversity in Africa. they have to replace foreign languages as official languages of Neither does it sanction or acknowledge a hierarchy of lantheir countries and the AU. Adopting an indigenous language guages. will solve the twin problem of uprooting the colonial lanIt is because of the wide expanse of area in which Swahili is guages and revalourising the African language that can unite spoken and its written tradition which is quite old as compared Africa. to other African languages that Swahili is preferred. Swahili has If the majority are to participate in the economic and tech- been a lingua franca of East Africa for quite some time. nological development of Africa, then it can’t be promoted Presently, it is spoken by 50 million people either as first or through the medium of a foreign language. This is perhaps one second language in East and Central Africa but particularly in of the greatest challenges of the African people. Language is Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.21 In addition, many people in Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, culture and in language we carry our identity and our culture.

For the majority of the African people, rebirth or re-awaken- Burundi, Zambia, Somalia, the Comoros and the Democratic ing is about living and expressing in indigenous languages.16 Republic of Congo speak some form of Swahili. Even in some Then, the choice of any one language as an official AU lan- pockets of South Africa and Zimbabwe some dialects of guage would imply the negation of other languages and cul- Swahili are being spoken. In fact, this magic number of 50 miltures too. lion speakers does not include speakers of Swahili outside Therefore, the choice of any one indigenous language from Africa. In other continents, there is a substantially large numthe basket of large number of African ber of people of African origin who In structure and vocabulary, languages seems to be an insurprefer to speak Swahili. Thus, a sigmountable proposition. Lack of resnificant number of Swahili speakers Swahili is distinctly a Bantu olution of this problem has resulted are also spread internationally.

African language. It shares in the continued use of foreign lanculturally and linguistically guages in the AU to discuss all ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION national and international issues.

OF SWAHILI with other Bantu languages Coupled with it, there is also a false and peoples far more than it he Swahili identity and histobelief that all Francophone Africa does with Arabic, Persian or ry has long been a contentious speaks French and all Anglophone issue and continues to be so Africa speaks English. In reality, only Indian. But by far the today.22 There are competing views a very small minority of the populaborrowing of vocabulary has on the origin of Swahili. It has existtion of these regions speak colonial been largest from Arabic. ed as a distinct language for approxilanguages and that too is mostly limmately 1,000 years now.23 The 1st ited to elites and intelligentsia. It must Though it has taken great Century AD account of the Periplus be insisted again that the majority of inspiration from the cultures of of The Erythrean Sea24 reports the African masses know only indigethe Indian Ocean coast and existence of cities and trading comnous African languages. munities along the East African coast.

In the 1930s and 1940s, English colonials, it has retained its Traditionally, the earliest settlers was advocated as a lingua franca of basic Bantu structure. from overseas to this coast were South Africa on the premise that it believed to be Shirazis from the would cut across ethnic divisions, inadvertently attributing a superior status to it. Similar argu- Persian side of the Gulf of Persia. The Arabs followed them. ments were put forth in other African countries in support of But they were preceded by local African communities of farmother colonial languages. Other countries under colonial rule ers, fishermen and traders.25 They were Bantu-speaking and also underwent these kinds of linguistic impositions. As a emigrated from an area north of Congo forest in the result, the English language has come to dominate the world Cameroons.26 Al Masudi (died C 945 AD), an early visitor from Persia, more than before as it has more non-native speakers than the natives themselves.17 Which perhaps explains why some lin- noted the establishment of towns along the East African coast guists say “the sun sets now on the British Empire but never with a mixed population of Africans and Muslims.27 Around on the English language.�18 This then is the imperious posi- 1100 AD these migrating peoples emerged as a distinct group. tion of English in the linguistic world order, which has to be They capitalised on their location to trade with visiting Arab undermined. merchants.28 By the 15th century, Swahili language and culThese arguments in favour of ex-colonial languages and ture spread as trade and towns developed. People began to especially English is now losing ground since there are African build in coral and adopted Islam. A new civilisation evolved languages which vertically integrate masses and classes and which was Muslim, urban, mercantile and literate in Arabic also horizontally across different ethnic groups.19 Some of and late in the period a writing tradition developed for Swahili these widely spoken African languages are kiswahili, Hausa, with the Arabic script.29 Subsequently, Swahili language and Akan, Fiilfulde.20 But above all, the most favoured language culture were enriched by successive colonial invasions during

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A F R I C A the next several centuries by Portuguese, Germans and English. Indians who had gone there as traders and as coolies, also contributed towards its vocabulary.

In structure and vocabulary, Swahili is distinctly a Bantu African language. It shares culturally and linguistically with other Bantu languages and peoples far more than it does with Arabic, Persian or Indian.30 But by far the borrowing of vocabulary has been largest from Arabic. Though it has taken great inspiration from the cultures of the Indian Ocean coast and colonials, it has retained its basic Bantu structure. Its syntax and grammar is Bantu. Swahili is a truly hybrid Bantu language discrediting its exogenous Arabic origin.

Internationally acclaimed writers such as Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiongo and South Africa’s E’skia Mphahlele have consistently argued that the use of Swahili would enhance African Unity.31 As early as 1976, during ‘The Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture’ held in Lagos in Nigeria, renowned scholars, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Mohamed Abdulazziz, threw their support behind the choice of Kiswahili as Africa’s language.32 One can even speculate and go a step further to argue that Swahili is the only language of African origin that has the potential to be a world language. Nevertheless, at present Swahili remains the sole African indigenous language that unifies central and eastern Africa, and hopefully it will unite the whole of Africa in future and also the Blacks in Americas to the natives of Africa.

What makes Swahili a dynamic language ahead of other African languages? The fact is that it is the only African language which has adapted itself to different historic epochs, changing in response to the then existing realities, accommodating new cultures and appreciating differences. It has taken inspiration not only from different ethnic groups of Africa but also from the cultures of the Indian Ocean coast which are essentially based on compromise and negotiation.33 In recent times, its speakers have shown a rare determination to not to let this legacy of their culture dwindle and ultimately degenerate. Hence, they are valourising and revitalising Swahili.

This perhaps explains why many radical writers are turning away from English, insisting that language and culture are inseparable, and therefore the loss of the former results in the loss of other.

Besides writers and academicians, politicians are promoting the cause of Swahili to be the working language of united Africa. South African President Thabo Mbeki and Foreign Minister Nkosanzana Dlamini-Zuma welcomed the decision of adopting Swahili as an official language of the AU. Former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi stressed that the adoption of Swahili will go some way in preserving African heritage in the form of a language.34 In support of Swahili, the outgoing AU chairperson, the Mozambican President Joaquim Chissana, addressed the summit of July, 2004 in Swahili. He urged the delegates and their countries to learn the language. He said: “Swahili (is) a unique language as it contains wisdom, culture and dignity that could not be translated or found elsewhere.”35 All these facts prove that there is more support for Swahili

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language in comparison to any other African language mainly due to the following reasons.36 Let’s summarise arguments in favour of the use of Swahili as a pan-African language.

■ It has proved its unifying ability by enabling effective communication between East Africans who speak English and their French-speaking neighbours of Central Africa.

■ It has more speakers than all the other languages that have been suggested as an African lingua franca.

■ It is a language that has a long writing history with many publications on culture and literature.

■ Kiswahili is a Bantu language that can be easily acquired in Africa as half of Africa’s population is made up of Bantu whose languages are very closely related.

■ Kiswahili has proved to be flexible in its lexicon expansion.

This makes it suitable for communication in a world that is continuously experiencing rapid changes scientifically, technologically and socially.

This overwhelming support for Swahili does not imply that there is no opposition to it. Some argue that that due to multiplicity of languages in Africa, there are many other important African languages like Akan in Ghana, Wolof in Senegal, Hausa in Nigeria and Lingala in Zaire. For the natives of these regions, Swahili is equally alien as are English, French, Portuguese or Arabic, and so should not serve as lingua franca for them. Allaying these apprehensions, Bamgbose suggests that people should be encouraged to have bigger language portfolios that will include African and foreign languages.37 Supporting similar views, Fardon and Furniss said that multilingualism is actually Africa’s lingua franca.38 He propounded a four-language formula, first to develop local languages since everyone has linguistic human rights to enjoy in life, then regional languages (lingua francas) for wider communication beyond own communities, Kiswahili for long-term wider communication in the AU and the European and other foreign languages for international interaction.39 This four-language formula is very complex and cumbersome but pragmatic. In this scheme of language, it has to be highlighted that Swahili has to be promoted only as an auxiliary language of a united Africa and not the language that will displace other national and local languages.

AFRICANISH-SWAHILI AS AN AUXILIARY LANGUAGE

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nglish has continued to hold its sway in most of the world even after the end of the Empire. The continued tradition of using English as a most favoured language of communication can be credited to a great extent to various national and international agencies which prefer English as a common medium. Then, there is also a false belief in the superiority of the English language and that its knowledge is a best way to be closer to the Anglophone civilisation. The paradox of the situation is that globalisation and integration of distant world communities has encouraged a reverse process.

Rather than English being used more, its relative influence has begun to wane both in the commercial and the cultural spheres.40

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This fact can only be attributed to the normal course of his- tion behind Swahili to be nominated as an auxiliary language tory which suggests that after a rise, the decline of the English of Africa, which every child in Africa should learn in addition language should follow. For many centuries Greek was the lan- to their mother tongue. But the lack of neutrality will disguage of learning, then Latin became the lingua franca of the courage it to be adopted effectively. Therefore, a modified Christian church in Europe and Arabic was the language of the version of Swahili has to be developed to make it readily acceptIslamic civilisation which stretched from Spain in the West to able and one with which one and all can identify with. Only Samarkand in the East. Later, French was the language of the then will Swahili become the medium that will unify the international culture. For last so many centuries the spread of whole of Africa.

English had been extensive due to the vast expanse of the The term Swahili is used both as the ethnonym of the peoBritish Empire and the migration of Europeans to Americas ple who traditionally speak Swahili language, and the name of and Australia. Besides, the media of a majority of social and sci- the language itself.42 For Swahili to be accepted by non-Swahili entific research continued to be English. But it would appear speakers, the term “Swahili” has to cut its umbilical chords from its antecedents. The term Swahili may be changed, and the heyday of English is soon going to be history.

An increase in education and awareness in all the countries I propose that it may be called “Africanish,” a language of –– a contribution of English, some would say –– has initiated Africa, just like English, Danish and Spanish of England, the feeling of pride and respect for their language and culture. Denmark, and Spain. To be an African auxiliary language, its Culture is transmitted through the medium of language and modified version would have to be consciously developed for language gives identity.41 In fact, the reverse trend of recog- it to move from a lingua franca of eastern Africa to be a lingua nising, appreciating and promoting indigenous languages in franca of the whole of Africa. The modifications have to be order to assert their identity is very conspicuous. The linguis- brought about in orthography, phonology, vocabulary or tic revival and preparedness of Africa grammatical structure, so that it is a to throw off the former colonial lanrelatively neutral language and an The reverse trend of guages, which are the last bastions of appurtenance of a modern, united recognising, appreciating and mental slavery, indicates that Africa African civilisation. It would be a promoting indigenous has matured itself and can stand on its term in Africa to which everybody own feet. could identify with, communicate in languages in order to assert But the experience of English and write without being bothered of their identity is very forces us to probe whether Swahili its origin and their nationalism. conspicuous. The linguistic has the potential to be promoted as the language of the AU. All justificaPAN-AFRICAN LANGUAGE revival and preparedness of tions given in support of Swahili Africa to throw off the former he historical connections would make one think that the sheer colonial languages, which are between the Swahili language number of people speaking it and the and the East African coast civilrelative neutrality of Swahili language the last bastions of mental isation has created a linguistic and culas compared to other ethnic and slavery, indicates that Africa has tural gap between Swahili and other national tongues makes its case matured itself and can stand on African tongues with not so very difstronger for it to be a continental lanferent political and religious tradiguage. But one cannot ignore historits own feet. tions. All the inherent deficiencies ical resentment from other nonmake Swahili an inadequate language, Swahili speaking countries of Africa and their thoughtful arguments that question the fundamen- both for speech and translation for the whole of Africa. In such tal suitability of Swahili or that of any other language to play a situation, Swahili in its present form is not the ideal medium to use as a Pan-African language. Initially, though it may be the role of continental auxiliary.

One criticism may be that Swahili has features which are lin- accepted as an official language of the AU due to the lack of an guistically difficult for people of other speech areas to adapt to. alternative, but a modified version of Swahili –– Africanish –– The other may be that people have advantage in understand- has to be developed. Africanish, the African language, will be ing concepts while using their mother tongue rather than lan- based on Swahili but has to be promoted as a Pan-African language that is absorbed mechanically as second or third lan- guage. It may not take the place of national languages but may guage. Thus, it won’t be of much advantage in those countries be a language which the whole of Africa could use as a supple■ where for diplomatic, commercial and ideological purposes, mentary or auxiliary language. their mother tongue has been chosen as an official language.

BIBLIOGRAPHY But the absence of an indigenous official AU language can have tragic consequences. Lack of a common language can lead to major crises. Translations can create confusion due to inher- 1. The term Bantu refers to a large group of Negroid people ent deficiencies. The dropping of the atomic bomb on of central and southern Africa. But the word Bantu strictly Hiroshima has been partly attributed to a wrongly translated refers to language and not to a race. The Bantu group of lanreply from Japan. Such objections to translation are motiva- guages includes some hundreds of languages and dialects

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A F R I C A stretching right across Africa. Swahili is one of the Bantu groups of languages.

2. Adesanya, L.A., (2000), ‘An Examination of the Nexus Between Adult Education and Globalisation’, in 18th Annual Conference of Philosophy of Education Association of Nigeria (PEAN) held at the University of Ibadan.

3. The globalising world economy has in many ways revived the primacy of regional integration schemes as policy instruments to contain the excesses of unfettered free markets.

Regionalism is thus seen as the human face of globalisation which makes it the only space where liberalisation is sustainable economically and politically. See S. Sideri, ‘Globalisation’s Dilemma: Economic Blocs or Global Economic Apartheid’ in European Journal of Development Research, Vol. 11, No.2, P. 170, 1999.

4. The trading blocs are particularly important as a measure to contain and mediate competitive global pressures which national policy resources cannot effectively handle, See S. Sideri, ‘Multilaterlism and Regionalism: A Still Difficult Coexistence’ in R. Ricardo and E. Grill (eds), ‘Multilaterlism and Regionalism After the Uruguay Round’, London, McMillan Press, 1997.

5. Mohochi, E.S., (2002), ‘Language and Regional Integration: Foreign or African Languages for the African Union?’ paper presented at CODESRIA 10th General Assembly, Kampala, Uganda, December 8-12, 2002.

6. The outgoing OAU Secretary General, Salim Ahmed Salim, quoted in the article, ‘The Counter Renaissance’ in the Swaraj Foundation’, September 2001, site http://www.swaraj.org/ counterrensept.htm 7. Renaissance means the revival of art and learning under the influence of classical models which began in Italy in the late Middle Ages. African Renaissance implies the rebirth of Africa where a united Africa would emerge as a power to reckon with.

8. A Negro Renaissance intends to restore to the Black people “that confidence in themselves and prestige in the world which they enjoyed twenty-five, thirty and thirty-five centuries ago by the waters of the Nile, the Tigris and the Euphrates and on the plains and plateaus of Ethiopia”. See T. Martin, (1991), ‘African Fundamentalism, A literary and Cultural Anthology of Garvey’s Harlem Renaissance’, Massachusetts, The Majority Press.

9. Ndegwa, P. (1986), ‘The African Challenge, In Search of Appropriate Development Strategies’, N. Heinemann, Kenya, P. 111-112.

10. Ujamaa is a socialism of Africa where a system of self-help village cooperatives were established by President Nyerere in Tanzania in the 1960s. In Kiswahili, ujamaa means brotherhood.

11. Steven Biko was a South African radical leader. His organisation aimed to raise awareness of oppression in the Black community and develop a sense of pride. He was a symbol of heroic resistance to apartheid in the Black townships of South Africa in the 1970s.

12. R. Khoza, (1999), ‘The Institutional Structures that Should Underpin the African Renaissance’, in W.M. Makogba (ed),

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African Renaissance, Mafube & Tafelberg, Cape Town, P. 279.

13. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan quoted in ‘The Counter Renaissance’, Op. cit.

14. Ibid.

15. Mann, M. & Dalby, D. (1987). Have enumerated 2,550 languages in Africa as quoted in Thesauruses of African Languages, Zell Saur, London. Elugbe (1994) estimate the existence of 2,000 languages, as quoted in Mohochi, E. Op.cit.

These differing figures reflect different definitions of language, emphasising communicability of identity.

16. Makogba, W. M., (1999), Pxviii, Op. Cit. 17. ‘Swahili as a Working Language of the AU’ in Times of Zambia, P.Z, site http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewniews .cgi?

18. Ibid.

19. Bamgbose, A. (1994), ‘Pride and Prejudice in Multilingualism’ in Fardon R. and Furniss, G. (eds), ‘African Languages, Development and the State’, London, Routledge, P. 102 20. Swahili is refered to as kiswahili by its speakers.

21. Sebelebele, M., (2004), ‘Swahili: AU’s official Language’ site http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/saglance/constitution/ausummit04.

22. Spear, T., (2000), ‘Early Swahili History Reconsidered, in The Journal of the African Historical Studies, Vol.33, No. (2) P. 257.

23. Hinnebusch, T. J. (1979), ‘Swahili’ in T. Shopen, Languages and Their Status, Winthrop Publishers, Cambridge, P259.

24. Morgan, W. T. W., (1973), East Africa, Longman, Nairobi, P.165.

25. Spear, T., (2000), P.258, Op.cit 26. Hinnebusch, T. J., (1979), P.259, Op.cit 27. lbid. P.260 28. Spear, T., (2000), P. 258, Op.cit 29. Hinnebusch, T. J., (1979), P.260, Op.cit 30. Swhili Language in Wikipedia 31. Sebelebele, M. (2004), Op.cit 32. Mahochi, E.S., (2000), P.6. Op.cit 33. Kambale, J., (2004), ‘Congolese Welcome Swahili as Official African Language’, Inter Press Service, Johannesburg.

34. ‘Swahili As a Working Language of the AU’, Op.cit 35. Mozambican President, Joanquim Chissano, Quoted in Sebelebele, M., Op.cit 36. Mahochi, E.S., (2002), P. 6, Op.cit 37. Bamgbose, A., (1994), P. 34, 38. Fardon R. & Furniss G., (1994), ‘African Languages, Development and the State,’ London, Routledge, p. 33-43 39. Mahochi, E.S., (2002), P. 7 Op.cit 40. “English_as_an Auxiliary_Language” in Lango Directory.

41. Ngugi wa Thiongo, (1981), ‘Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature’, Portsmouth, Heinemann, P. 15-16 42. Lodhi, A.Y., (2000), ‘Oriental Influences in Swahili: A Study in Language and Culture Contacts’, Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, Sweden, P. 22

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Tourism as Colonial

NOSTALGIA Claudia Bell conjures up the exotic delights of Namibia –– its picturesque desolation, opulent lodges, enchanting wild life –– and asks whether all this romantic mythmaking is neo-colonialism in disguise.

Desert Tourism. The sand dunes are a popular destination

‘Spoil yourself with a honeymoon on the most romantic and passionate of continents.’1

NAMIBIA

‘Africa was no traditional beauty; it was much more than that: It was a dream... Africa awakens the explorer in its visitors; they journey hour after hour through the bush in the hope of glimpsing the shadow of a leopard, herds of buffalo... or elephants striding majestically towards their unknown destination. It is the excitement of the wild, of the unpredictable, and of danger... and there will be a camp able to conjure up English tea, a hot shower and a four-poster bed in the midst of nowhere.’2

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amibia in southwest Africa, a former German colony, was the last African colony to achieve independence, in 1990. Today, it vigorously promotes tourism as an important source of overseas earnings.3 Tourism is making an increasing contribution to the economy, with 700,000 visitors in the year up to June 2005. However, factors that continue to constrain overall economic progress are the very small population (fewer than two million inhabitants), so a very small internal market; a shortage of skilled workers; a lack of industrial and manufacturing diversification; and a dualistic economic structure, ranging from relatively affluent citizens to an impoverished subsistence population sector. The landscape is predominantly arid; agriculture contributes just 10 percent to

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the gross national product (GNP).

Struggles to create a viable economy include battles against drought and food shortages. Unemployment is a serious issue in Namibia, with an estimated 45 percent of the potential labour force not in paid work. Yet Sparks and Green described Namibia as “coming to independence with significant economic potential.”4 It has some of the best infrastructure in Africa: Good roads and railways, and ports well placed on the Atlantic Coast, to export goods.

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A F R I C A For most Westerners, Africa as a geographic construct is generalized; separate countries are blurred in stories of Africa.

The “mystique of Africa” and “romance of Africa” as enticement to tourists are offered by a number of countries. The distinct identity that Namibia promotes is its particular unique landscape: Vast empty spaces, softly folding sand dunes; a picturesque desolation that is novel to most visitors. Layered onto this are promises of luxurious accommodation. There are well over 150 lodges in Namibia, small establishments offering guests comfort and solace as escape from their daily life in the west; and as secure retreats in mysterious, potentially dangerous Africa. The lavish style of classic 1920s safaris of the very wealthy is recaptured in present day Namibian tourist accommodation. While wildlife is not as abundant as in Botswana and Kenya, nevertheless guests can enjoy the peace and solitude of the wilderness, in elegance and style.

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ost non-South African tourists in Namibia are German, many making repeat visits. For the adventurous tourist to Namibia –– to Westerners, going to anywhere in Africa is seen as adventure –– there is so much to delight. The remote, strange landscape is the main draw: The magnificent red sand dunes, and the vast deserts with fascinating wildlife –– oryx! ostriches! kudu! –– and flamingos and pelicans on the sparkling Atlantic coast. To enjoy this environment, one is urged to be a guest in a beautiful lodge.

These are not just accommodation, but vacation experience in themselves.

The lodges’ advertisements urge the jaded Westerner to go to Namibia and relax in luxury: Rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Whether it is total relaxation pampering in an unrivalled arena for treatments or the end to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, Namibia offers the ideal venue, combining wellness with nature and the African wildlife.5 This is nothing to do with any adventurous idea of roughing it in the bush: Epupa Camp consists of nine luxury safaristyle tents, each with en-suite bathroom.6 The highest quality lodges offer leisure-and-pleasure pursuits that prioritise bodily gratification. The architecturally beautiful resorts are stylishly landscaped with palms, cycads and fragrant frangipani, with large ceramic African ornaments decorating the immaculate gardens. Spa and other relaxing, beautifying treatments are available for the visitor’s body, weary from the rigors of everyday Western culture.

On websites and in brochures, inviting pictures of bedrooms with pristine white draped beds; immaculate table settings with crystal wineglasses; elegant lounging areas inviting total relaxation amongst a tasteful selection of exotic fabric cushions; carved tables bearing a cornucopia of vibrant fresh fruits; swimming pools surrounded by lush tropical plantings; all of these present an ambience of indulgence for the itinerant pleasure-seeker.

MacCannell’s model of tourists as sedentary consumers of countries whose “way of travel involves elaborate mobile contrivances and temporary accommodations which are designed

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to mock up not merely sedentary existence but a kind of ultrasedentary existence once the province of royalty... The appeal is to a particular ideal of travel in which the meals, the accommodation, the mode of conveyance, etc., should be more sumptuous, more elaborate and over-prepared than their counterparts at home”.7 Indeed, this is what the tourists have paid for. Hence the tourist may be described as entering something of a luxurious fantasy world; a world they can afford for a short time, which is later recalled as a special experience in an exotic location.

Here we can see what Franklin and Crang refer to as the “sensual, embodied and performative dimensions”8 of contemporary tourist practices: The guests’ every sense is stimulated and soothed in this environment. And the performative roles are clearly defined.

In this dream world, in these deluxe lodges, the subservient black African servant fulfills the desires of the visitor, waiting literally hand and foot (manicures! pedicures!) on the pampered visitor. The guest meanwhile settles into the role of something of a royal visitor, succumbing to the extravagant multi-sensory pleasures in this, their own (albeit very temporary) kingdom of indulgence.

The performance by local people in these service roles distracts and obscures the violence of colonial occupation. Here, the reframing is in terms of local employment. The (black) staff in their pristine uniforms smile at the (white) guests, delivering courtesy, charm, obliging service and authenticity to the visitors’ experience. The servant class may be seen as “performative primitives”.9 The lodge staff may not be performing eg traditional dances in native costume; but they are performing their roles from another era of their history: as the colonised indigenee, now compliant and obedient, because it’s a job.

ILLUSORY AFRICA

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mages and representations of an illusory Africa are almost an intrinsic part of the culture as Westerners. Tourism uptakes, maintains and markets our traditional myths about Africa; those myths created by centuries of fantasy and romanticism, and tales of danger, adventure and excitement.

Contemporary tourism marketing uses those same myths to “sell” consumers notions of place which may or may not correspond to the actuality. As Cohen explains, “Advertising tends to simplify the image; a product (is) most effectively marketed if its image is reduced to a few easily recognized basic traits.”10 Glasser asserts that, “You don’t sell a product, you sell a dream.”11 The images and representations of Africa before European discovery can be traced to the beginnings of a biological discourse about race, which attempted to legitimize European entry and colonization. Biological determinism was less about race in general, and more about affirming European perceptions of themselves as racially superior. This leads to an understanding of African people as the Other. These beliefs underpin initial and pre-conceived images of Africa as a site for performance of neo-imperialism.

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The exterior and opulent interior of a typical tourist lodge in the Namibian desert. The tourists receive what they seek and paid for: Luxury, subservience and indulged leisure, as they escape their everyday roles in late capitalism as “talented consumers”.

The role of image creation in Their (the tourists’) self-focus jects of colonization, but now tourism cannot be over-emphasized. through travel capitalism. includes little concern that “It is the way in which they (tourism Perceptions of the “the romance of images in advertising) reflect rela- their Namibian lodge holiday is Africa” rely heavily on the tourism tionships between products, images a site of privilege that depends industry perpetuating a Western fanand people which encourage and tasy. on the poverty of local people. reproduce particular ways of seeing The tourist is buying a fantasy the world.”12 In short, advertising Designers have created pretty about colonialism, which is about functions to support ideology, and is being in control and dominating lodges to represent Namibia instrumental in the reproduction of another group. In the case of and its idiosyncratic landscape. Namibia, what is consumed is not so society’s social structures.

The image-making industries much Namibia, but an “African” But the lodges have become present versions of exotic places as experience. This is commoditised by sites where discourses of purchasable commodities, a process the global flow of touristic images, nostalgia and identity are crucial to fuel the tourists’ imaginand mapped onto tourists’ own ings of places to visit. Tourists are desires for exotic, adventurous expeinscribed by the tourists and urged to go and see. Garlick suggests riences, but with the level of comfort their needs. that “Urry’s notion of the ‘tourist that recalls the lives of wealthy gaze’, which he insists is central to colonisers in Africa. the constitution of touristic experience itself, highlights the privileging of the visual... within modern western cultures.”13 DISEMPOWERMENT The alarming consequence of this is that identity politics learly, post-independence, there is a strong need for are overlooked. “With a growing tourist presence and increasNamibian self-determination of identity. But the ing engagement with the tourist market, local discourse about images and “gaze” of the tourist deny Namibians the culture and ethnicity may increasingly resemble touristic disright and determine their own identities and personas. The sad course in it’s premises and narrative style.”14 In short, tourists have made –– or are making –– Africa that reality of the situation is that tourism is the largest employer which they have chosen to see. in the world; it is growing as a significant employer in Namibia.

This argument highlights not just geo-political differences Meanwhile, the ability of Namibia to empower itself and between the European and African countries, but also the ide- determine it’s own understanding of itself is greatly disadvanological discourse surrounding conquest, exploration and a taged by a range of economic factors. Despite government and search for “authenticity” by the modern tourist. The tourists’ private sector efforts to create work opportunities, high levels quest for authenticity signifies a colonial legacy where places of unemployment have persisted since independence. As are viewed as mystical or treasured landscapes preserved by Sparks explains, Namibia’s previously racist education system time, to be explored, and exploited. Indigenous people are fre- has resulted in low skill levels for many of the population.15 The small population, little farmable land, adverse climate, quently portrayed as passive but grateful recipients of the new contemporary white explorers (tourists) from urban industri- and limited access to finance have impeded growth. Profits from its mining industry do not go to Namibians. The alized countries.

And so exotic peoples continue to be constructed as sub- prospects for tourism in the Namibian economy are very pos-

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A F R I C A itive. But it is noticeable that the white-owned luxury resorts which employ under-educated black Africans as staff, train them to be obsequious to affluent foreign clients.

The dilemma for the tourism researcher is to accept that for staff in opulent lodges, at least they are employed (though paid very little). But there is distaste at the re-enactment of colonial relationships. Here is a recapitulation of what Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o calls “docile natives,” created under colonialism as cheap labour. The subjugation of colonialism is reiterated in tourism.

This manner of servility exacerbates racist assumptions ingrained in white Westerners. Those values are provoked and reaffirmed during their visit. In tourism, where the “other” is an acquiescent subject of the gaze, or submissive servant, equality cannot be present. So long as one group perceives another as the subservient class, an equal relationship cannot be forged.

Nicholson-Lord16 reminds us that tourism was supposed to be a “smokeless” industry. It was this belief that underpinned its growth after World War II, when the World Bank, abetted by a new U.N. agency, the World Tourism Organisation, prescribed it for Third World countries whose main marketable asset appeared to be “unspoiled” cultures and environments.

Tourism, it was argued, would be a passport to development –– a clean, green industry with lots of jobs and no factories or fumes. There was less attention to the extent to which tourism would exacerbate white supremacy; that it would further the marginalisation of Third World peoples. The tourists’ taste for luxury in the Namibian deserts seems to imply a nostalgia for white supremacy and ongoing cultural dominance, if only as a temporary fantasy. The lodge guests, as they act out safari chic

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www.go2africa.com/africa_honeymoon/default.asp 2. Taschen, Angelika and Deidi von Schaewen, 2004. Safari Style Berlin, Taschen; pp 6 - 7.

3. The promotion of tourism in Namibia is well documented in Travel News, Namibia, a monthly publication which also has a website, www.travelnews.con,.na 4. Sparks, Donald L. and December Green, 1992. ‘Nambia The Nation After Independence’. Westview Press, Boulder, San Francisco, Oxford; p73.

5. http://www.namibiatourism.com/ 6. http://namibiareservations.com/epupacampe.html 7. MacCannell, Dean, 1992. ‘Empty Meeting Grounds: The Tourist Papers’. London and New York; Routledge; p 5.

8. Franklin, Adrian and Mike Crang, 2001. ‘The Trouble with Tourism and Travel Theory?’ Editorial in Tourist Studies Vol. 1, No. 1, June, p14.

9. MacCannell, ibid; p26.

10. Cohen, Erik, 2004; ‘Contemporary Tourism, Diversity and Change’, Boston; Elsevier; p265.

11. Glasser, R., quoted by Cohen (ibid); p256.

12. Pritchard, Anne (2001) ‘Tourism and Representation: A

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travel of the past,17 discount any possibilities of assumptions of egalitarianism with indigenous peoples.

The tourists receive what they seek and paid for: Luxury, subservience and indulged leisure, as they escape their everyday roles in late capitalism. As “talented consumers”18, they are building their own life stories and cultural capital through their travel experiences. Their self-focus includes little concern that their Namibian lodge holiday is a site of privilege that depends on the poverty of local people. Designers have created pretty lodges to represent Namibia and its idiosyncratic landscape. But the lodges have become sites where discourses of nostalgia and identity are inscribed by the tourists and their needs.

This case study illustrates the slippage and contradictions between cultural tourism and tourist culture19. Tourism in Namibia does not just bring about a commoditisation of a version of colonial culture. It also impacts on local culture by providing validation and ironic exploitative economic support for the continuation of that touristic imperialism.

There is no simple solution to this dilemma. Raising awareness in tourists may be a (modest) start. Affluent Westerners are not likely to stop travelling. Tourism has turned into a recapitulation of nineteenth century colonialism, creating a new economic dependency. And as Nicholson-Lord concludes: “It rubs hard against the growing worldwide movement for local or national self-determination.”20

Acknowledgments I would like to thank the Faculty of Arts Research Committee, University of Auckland, New Zealand, for funding my research projects in Namibia. Thank you also to John Lyall for reading an earlier draft of this article.

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Scale for Measuring Gendered Portrayals’; Leisure Studies 20 (2001); p89.

13. Garlick, Steve (2002) ‘Revealing The Unseen: Tourism, Art and Photography’ in Cultural Studies 16 (2) p290.

14. Linnekin, Jocelyn, 1997. ‘Consuming Cultures: Tourism and the Commodification of Cultural Identity in the Island Pacific’; in Picard, Michael and Wood, Robert E. (eds.)

‘Tourism, Ethnicity and the State in the Asian and Pacific Societies’, University of Hawaii Press, hawaii; p216.

15. Sparks, Donald L. and December Green; ibid; p145.

16. Nicholson- Lord, David, 1997. ‘The Politics of Travel. Is Tourism just colonialism another guise?’ http://www.emily. net/~schiller/pol_trvl.html 17. A history of luxury tourism in the African bush is documented by Natasha Burns (photographs by Tim Beddow) in ‘Safari Style’, London; Thames and Hudson, 1998.

18. Bell, Claudia and John Lyall, 2002. ‘The Accelerated Sublime; Landscape, Tourism and Identity’. U.S.A., Praeger; p153.

19. Craik, Jennifer, 1997. ‘The Culture of Tourism’, Chapter 6 in ‘Touring Cultures’ Edited by Chris Rojek and John Urry; London and New York; Routledge. pp113- 136.

20. Nicholson-Lord; ibid.

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Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s ode to liberal India ‘The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity’, by Amartya Sen; Penguin Allen Lane, June 2005; Price: Rs. 650; pp 432.

Hinduism, which contrasts sharply with the narrow and bellicose versions that are currently on offer, led particularly by parts of the Hindutva movement”. This may sound like fullblown paranoia to some, but Sen is convinced that this large, he Argumentative Indian is no not an exotic inclusive idea of India is in danger of being enticed by parochial creature or an invention of Amartya Sen; turn ideologies and worldviews with narrow emotional appeals. left, right or centre –– this redoubtable creaClearly, Hindutva is his pet peeve and he attacks it with comture with an inborn love for speaking is bative passion that can only come from a deep-rooted conviceverywhere, arguing and radiating his plea- tion. “Many of the barbed attacks on secularism in India have sure in this great Indian gift. Some may find this habit of speak- come from activists engaged in the Hindutva movement, ing ad nauseam a fatal national flaw that has kept us in the including the BJP, which has been described as the principal limbo of under-development, but Sen revels in this Indian political party representing the ideology of Hindu nationalism genius for talking, and occasionally askin the electoral arena,” writes Sen. ing discomfiting questions –– a trait “Another serious problem with the which is central to his idea of a pluralisnarrow reading of ‘Indian culture as tic, liberal, multicultural India.

Hindu culture’ is the neglect of many Not surprisingly, the eponymous major achievements of Indian civilization essay begins with these celebratory lines: that have nothing to do with religious “Prolixity is not alien to us in India. We thinking at all,” Sen writes in chapter are able to talk at some length. Krishna entitled ‘Secularism and its Discontents.’

Menon’s record of the longest speech In place of this limiting view of India, ever delivered at the United Nations Sen, Lamont University professor at (nine hours non-stop), established half a Harvard, passionately espouses his vision century ago (when Menon was leading of a liberal, secular India that encourages the Indian delegation), has not been diversity of viewpoints and heterodoxy equalled by anyone from anywhere. as the ideal way for the country.

Other peaks of loquaciousness have been Dismantling stereotypes of India as scaled by other Indians. We do like to the mystical, exotic Orient, and the new speak.” cliché about the country’s IT prowess, This is not a new habit, Sen points out Sen’s essays engage with contemporary in his new book ‘The Argumentative issues like poverty, class and caste diviIndian,’ and quotes extensively from the sions, gender inequality and the impact of Mahabharata and the Ramayana, scrip“The argumentative tradition, if India’s new-found nuclear status on tures and secular texts, ancient and human security in the subcontinent. used with deliberation and modern, to underline the centrality These problems can be resolved commitment, can also be of dialogue to the evolution of intelonly through the creative use of the lectual life of the country. extremely important in resisting great Indian argumentative tradition, Sen’s new book –– a collection of he says. “The argumentative tradihistorical and philosophical essays social inequalities and removing tion, if used with deliberation and poverty and deprivation... Voice commitment, can also be extremely written over the last decade –– is an inspired meditation on the idea of important in resisting social inequalis a crucial component of the India and Indian-ness at a time when ities and removing poverty and depripursuit of social justice,” the global image of India is in a state vation... Voice is a crucial component the author, noted economist of flux and is under attack from varof the pursuit of social justice,” the ious votaries of chauvinist passions. author argues. and Nobel Laureate Amartya “India is a large and diverse coun“Discussions and arguments are Sen, argues. try with many distinct pursuits, vastcritically important for democracy ly disparate convictions, widely diverand public reasoning. They are cengent customs and a veritable feast of viewpoints,” he writes in tral to the practice of secularism and for even-handed treatthe preface to the book. “In India heterodoxy has always been ment of adherents of different religious faiths (including those the natural state of affairs,” says the 1998 winner of Nobel Prize who have no religious beliefs),” writes the venerable economist for Economics. and thinker.

Sen, a former Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, argues This all-important debate is grounded in larger questions spiritedly for a “capacious view of a broad and generous of the Indian identity. “Should the Indian identity be seen as

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A F R I C A something of a federal concept that draws on the different religious communities, perhaps even including non-religious beliefs, within the list of constituents of a federation of cultures?” he asks.

At the end of it all, Sen affirms Rabindranath Tagore’s idea of India which “militates against the intense consciousness of the separateness of one’s own people from others.” This is his vision of a large, all-inclusive, ecumenical India locked in a mortal combat with a smaller India based on narrow religious and ethnic identities. To save this large India, Sen seems to be saying that one needs to celebrate the argumentative tradition

Q U A R T E R L Y

and flaunt one’s love for argumentative Indians.

Befittingly, the author, whose love for argument is almost visceral, ends his eponymous essay on a light-hearted note by alluding to the legendary Bengali reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s witty diagnosis about “the real hardship of death,” which consists of “the frustrating –– very frustrating –– inability to argue.”

“Just consider how terrible the day of your death will be.

Others will go on speaking, and you will not be able to argue back,” Ram Mohan Roy said famously.

–– By Manish Chand

Bestsellers in India Vikram Seth’s ‘Two Lives’ is back as number one non-fiction favourite while Khaled Hosseini’s evocative tale of childhood in peacetime Afghanistan, ‘The Kite Runner’, topped the fiction bestseller list in November.

TOP 10: NON-FICTION 1. ‘Two Lives’ Author: Vikram Seth; Publisher: Penguin Viking; Price: Rs. 695 2. ‘Delhi: A Thousand Years of Building’ Author: Lucy Peck; Publisher: Lotus Roli; Price: Rs. 500 3. ‘The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Globalized World in the 21st Century’ Author: Thomas Friedman; Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane; Price: Rs. 670 4. ‘Bangladesh The Next Afghanistan?’

Author: Hiranmay Karlekar; Publisher: Sage; Price: Rs. 320 5. ‘City of Sin and Splendour’ Author: Bapsi Sidhwa; Publisher: Penguin Books; Price: Rs. 395 6. ‘The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity’ Author: Amartya Sen; Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane; Price: Rs. 650 7. ‘The Great War For Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East’

Author: Robert Fisk; Publisher: KNOPF; Price: 32 pounds 8. ‘Curry –– A Biography’ Author: Lizzie Collingham; Publisher: Anglo Indian Pickle; Price: 11 pounds 9. ‘Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase Fable’ Author: John Ayto; Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; Price: 18.75 pounds 10. ‘A Guide To 101 Modern & Contemporary Indian Artists’ Author: Amrita Jhaveri; Publisher: IBH; Price: Rs. 750 TOP 10: FICTION 1. ‘The Kite Runner’ Author: Khaled Hosseini; Publisher: Bloomsbury; Price: Rs. 256 2. ‘The Other Side of Me’ Author: Sidney Sheldon; Publisher: Harper Collins; Price: Rs. 195

3. ‘The Sea’ Author: John Banville; Publisher: Picador;Price: Rs. 276 4. ‘Season of the Rainbirds’ Author: Nadeem Aslam; Publisher: Faber and Faber; Price: Rs. 256 5. ‘Never Let Me Go’ Author: Kazuo Ishiguro; Publisher: Faber and Faber; Price: Rs. 513 6. ‘Shalimar the Clown’ Author: Salman Rushdie; Publisher: Jonathan Cape, London; Price: Rs. 595 7. ‘Maps For Lost Lovers’ Author: Nadeem Aslam; Publisher: Faber and Faber; Price: Rs. 236 8. ‘One Night @ the Call Center’ Author: Chetan Bhagat; Publisher: Rupa; Price: Rs. 95 9. ‘On Beauty’ Author: Zadie Smith; Publisher: Hamish Hamilton; Price: Rs. 473 10. ‘Eldest’ Author: Christopher Paolini; Publisher: KNOPF; Price: Rs. 695

(Source: Bahri Sons, New Delhi, www.booksatbahri.com. All the books listed above are available online)

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On East Africa’s ‘phantom’ Asian community ‘Real African Phantom’, by Khalid H. Malik; Trafford Publishers; $34.62; pp 221.

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ficionados of life and adventure in 19th century Africa have long enjoyed a singularly one-sided view –– a view from the West.

The romance and excitement of European accounts of East Africa have exploited the mystique of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika. But in so doing, they have given that region an exclusively Western perspective, obscuring an equally thrilling parallel world that existed on the same time-plane, albeit through an entirely different lens.

So reads an introduction to ‘Real African Phantom’ by “WELL, IN THAT case you can’t go in either.”

Mr. Deen gave him that Look, the stare that virtually said, ‘My friend you are about to make a mistake.’

With that he said to the doorman, “It’s not that simple. If you are preventing me from going in you have to physically stop me.”

“Look,” said the attendant, “Don’t make a scene, just take this ticket, return it to the cashier, and get your money back.”

“I won’t make a scene, and I will make it easy for you. Just put a finger here (and he pointed at his chest), and tell me that I can’t go in,” which is what the attendant did, and the two friends turned and went home without another word.

The next day Mr. Deen telephoned the manager of the theatre and told him about the previous night’s incident, adding that he had several witnesses of the episode. He also added that he assumed that the manager knew that what the doorman had done was, in legal terms, tantamount to assault.

The manager obviously knew his law, and he realized immediately the position that the management had been put in. He only hesitated for a moment, then said, “Come to the theatre and see me. I will give you a hundred shillings, and we will forget the whole matter. O.K.?”

That really seems to have riled Mr. Deen, for he said, “I would perhaps have accepted a simple apology. But your stupid attempt at buying my honour for a hundred shillings changes that. Now you will have to make your apology through a fourcolumn announcement in the front page of the East African Standard (that was the leading English language newspaper in Kenya).The manager tried to get out of that public, and costly, ad in the paper, but it was futile, and eventually he had to do just that!

Khalid Malik. And just who inhabited this “thrilling parallel world?”

“People who have probably read and enjoyed fantastic books like ‘Out of Africa’, Gorillas in the Mist’, and ‘Snows of Kilimanjaro’,” writes Malik, “have certainly lived the adventures with the white heroes and heroines of these stories, and perhaps learnt something about the indigenous people as well.

In all likelihood,, however, they did not realise that there existed a third entity in East Africa who exerted an equal, if not greater, influence on the life and development in those countries: The economic force, the silent power –– the East African Asian.”

The ‘Real African Phantom’ features the amazing success stories of this “phantom group” among the three major races of East Africa and the evolution of one family over a 100-year period, through the eyes of an insider who saw most of it up close.

■ We were dead sure that a message would have been sent ahead from the train, and that an unwelcome reception would be awaiting us there. Sure enough, we could see on the platform in the distance, a burly European police officer, and two askairs (constable...

At the police station our statements were taken, but thankfully our friend Bhimsen was not detained. We were informed that he, as the defendant, would be summoned for a court hearing in a few weeks, as well as we, the three friends, as witnesses.

In somewhat of a daze we returned to the railway station and managed to find a Mbale bound train, boarded it, and reached Mbale after a couple of hours ride in silence, without any further incident.

Within five minutes of the train’s arrival at Mbale the disembarked passengers were all gone, and the station looked completely deserted. Where were we? More importantly, where was Mbale, the town? A sleepy stationmaster explained that the town was four kilometres down the only road leading out of the station.

“A bus? A taxi? No, no, no such thing.” The stationmaster said in answer to our enquiry. “Have to find your own way into town, somehow.”

A little tired, hungry and dispirited we started the long walk to town. At the outskirts of Mbale we met a young man who, in the excited anticipation of the hockey festival, hailed us with, “Hello! Here for the tournament?” And then, “Which team are you?” We told him, and he was suitably impressed, not knowing the task we were facing, with only four players out of the required eleven.

Shaban Noormohamed, our new friend, was all excited when I told him casually that we were a trifle short on players, and asked him if he knew anyone who might be interested to play for us.

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Excerpts

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AS THE TRAIN pulled slowly into the Tororo railway station we all craned out of the windows, looking for the worst.

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Speech delivered by Shashi U. Tripathi, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, on November 8, 2005 At India-Africa Conclave organized by CII and EXIM Bank.

LOOKING AHEAD PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE

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n the new millennium, India is seeking to establish a partnership for development with the African nations based on new technologies. India has a special relationship with Africa that has evolved over the decades. Indian leaders had warm personal ties with the leaders of the African liberation movements. Indian and African leaders worked together for Afro-Asian solidarity and were close partners in the NonAligned Movement, the G-77 and other international organizations. There has been a long-term convergence of principles, ideals and interests between them. These close political ties have continued with the new generation of leaders in Africa.

There is a new mood of optimism in Africa with the establishing of the African Union and constituting of an economic regeneration programme under NEPAD. India has responded to the changes in Africa with renewed efforts to enhance economic and political cooperation. India wrote off the debt owed by the African countries under the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) Paris Initiative and restructured the commercial debts. The Indian Government undertook a special programme in March 2004 to strengthen relations with a group of eight Francophone countries of Africa — Burkina Faso, Chad Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal under the TEAM-9 Initiative. The TEAM-9 Initiative set up a mechanism for cooperation to take up bilateral as well as sub-regional projects.

It has attracted a good deal of attention with several other African countries showing an interest in joining the TEAM9 Initiative.

India sees South-South cooperation as an effective co-operative approach. It is a framework to build a bridge between Asia and Africa. We must ensure that access to both new and appropriate technologies are expanded greatly among us.

Advances in biotechnology could promote revolutionary changes in agriculture and health care.

India is ready to collaborate with Africa in new areas of cooperation using advanced technology. The use of space technology to accelerate the development process is one of the new areas for joint action. India has offered the benefits of its space programme to African countries, to connect all the African countries through satellite for tele-education, tele-medicine and other e-services. India has also offered data from its remote sensing satellites and expertise to utilize the data applications in different fields for African countries.

India has what has been called Technology with a Triple 'A' Tag : appropriate, adaptable and affordable. It is willing to share its technological skills with African countries in a part-

nership that includes both public and private participation, depending on the requirements of the African countries. India is already involved in the three vital sectors of growth in Africa: telecommunications, IT and development of transport infrastructure through the railways in Africa countries. In 2005, India became the first Asian country to become a full - member of the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and it committed US$1 million to the ACBF mission to build capacity for sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Africa.

India’s economic and commercial ties with Africa have grown in the past half-decade. Trade has risen sharply in this period; from less than $1 billion in 1990-91 to $7.03 billion in 2003-04. The growth is due to both an increase in Indian exports to Africa as well as African exports to India.

The process of economic development requires capital and though India is itself a developing country, it has offered lines of credit as a useful resource for African countries. Taken together with our bilateral lines of credit to individual countries in Africa, our offers for NEPAD and TEAM-9 add up to something over a billion dollars. We sincerely hope that it can be harnessed as a catalyst to build genuine, productive and sustainable partnership in the development of institutional capacity in industry, agriculture and infrastructure.

Direct shipping services between South Africa and India have given a major boost to the trade and investment environment. India is the third largest source of foreign investment in Uganda and Indian companies are the largest investors in Ghana in terms of numbers with 46 new projects in 2004.

The Indian chambers of commerce have established linkages with their counterparts in African countries to collaborate in creating awareness of the strengths and skills of industry and of business opportunities.

The Asia-Africa Conference adopted a Strategic Partnership Plan of Action that listed the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and various other diseases through a coordinated and sustained global response, with a greater availability of medicines at an affordable price. India and Africa face the same major health problems of HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and vaccine preventable diseases. About 50 per cent of HIV/AIDS patients taking anti-retroviral drugs in developing countries rely on Indian products and India is the biggest provider of anti-retroviral drugs to sub-Saharan Africa.

India has entered the field of anti-AIDS vaccines that are in the stage of undergoing tests and is also mounting a campaign to eradicate new strains of diseases like TB and malaria. This is an area where India could have a beneficial cooperation with African countries.

Education and training has been one of the main components of India’s technical and economic assistance for Africa.

The thousands of Africans who have attended educational and training courses in India and the hundreds of Indian teachers who have taught in African schools serve to invigorate the bonds between India and Africa. Under its ITEC programme,

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India has provided training to Africans in diverse fields that range from higher education, modern agricultural methods, defence, small-scale industries, democratic institutions, and railways.

It has continued to innovate to bring its assistance in line with present day requirements for capacity building in developing countries. Using appropriate technology, it has helped set up IT parks, rural electrification, self-contained solar lighting systems, mini cement plants, cotton ginning and processing plants.

Aside from cooperation in training of defence personnel from African countries, India has shown its commitment to peace in Africa with its participation in UN peacekeeping missions in the continent. It has participated in 10 peacekeeping missions in the region. It has about 5,000 peacekeepers serving in Congo, Eritrea and Ethiopia — where Indian troops are also working to improve the conditions of the people.

India and Africa stand together to face the new challenges of redefining the Non-Aligned Movement in the present international order, refining the spirit of Bandung and the challenges at the United Nations. Fifty years ago, the Asian African Conference was about freedom from colonialism, half a decade later the summit focused on human dignity.

Despite accounting for over half of humanity, Asia and Africa do not have a commensurate voice in the international institutions of the modern world. The institutions of the United Nations reflect the architecture of the 1950s when most of the African nations were not independent. Developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America need to be

included as permanent members on the Security Council in order to make it more representative and democratic. About two-thirds of the agenda of the UN Security Council focuses on Africa, but Africa does not have permanent representation in the UNSC. There is need for reform of the procedures of the United Nations, with greater consultations between the member countries. Africa must be suitably represented among the permanent members of an expanded UN Security Council.

India is a legitimate candidate for permanent membership of the UNSC. India is the second largest country in terms of population; it is the world’s 4th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, and one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations. It has participated in 42 UN peacekeeping missions. India has been a leader in SouthSouth cooperation and has articulated the concerns of the developing countries at the meetings of the international organizations like the WTO. India and Africa have a historic relationship and in the past few decades have made efforts to cement a sustained relationship of cooperation. India has built a framework of cooperation through the variegated strands of sound political relations, vibrant trade and economic ties, assistance in education and training, and peacekeeping. The cooperation will explore new frontiers in the field of space technology applications, an area that would help accelerate the sustainable development processes in Africa. India and Africa look towards an enduring partnership for peace and prosperity in the future. Looking at the spirit of vibrancy in Africa and the vitality in India, we are convinced that the 21st century belongs to Asia and Africa.

Address by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, during the Valedictory Function of the Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership 2005; ‘Expanding Horizons’ New Delhi November 8, 2005 INDIA-AFRICA PARTNERSHIP FOR FOCUSSED MISSIONS am delighted to participate in the India-Africa Project 2005 “Expanding Horizons” organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and EXIM Bank. My greetings to the organizers, hon'ble ministers, principle advisors, bankers, business captains, representatives of chambers of commerce and industries and government representatives participating in this conclave. Particularly, I would like to greet the delegates of 31 African countries who are participating in this Conclave.

Study of Conclave Outcomes I studied the number and profile of participants of both India and Africa who attended the first conclave held in March 2005 and attending the second conclave being held now. It is really a high level participation. In addition, CII and the EXIM bank have provided certain inputs for the conclaves. In spite of that, I consider there is a large scope for improvement in the quality of output which has result-

ed from these two conferences.

Pan African e-Network During the last two years I had an opportunity to visit African countries such as Sudan, Tanzania, TanzaniaZanzibar and South Africa. Also, I had an opportunity to address the Pan African Parliament on September 16, 2004, at Johannesburg, South Africa, which was attended by heads of 53 member countries of the African unit. There I announced the willingness of the Government of India to provide seamless and integrated satellite, fibre optics and wireless network connecting 53 African countries. This will provide three connectivities: (i) Heads of the state network for e-governance; (ii) Tele-education network for higher education, skill enhancement and capacity building; and (iii) Telemedicine for providing health care and super specialty medicare. This programme will be funded by India. This network will be in position by early 2007.

Flow Chart of Events Towards MoU Now, I would like to give the sequence of events which took place before final signing of the MoU between India and the African Union for implementation of the Pan-African e-network project. As soon as the project was announced, a technical committee was appointed by the Prime Minister’s Office

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A F R I C A (PMO) to generate the project report. The derivation of the project report took four months and needed six meetings of the technical experts drawn from the Department of Space, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).

MEA had also interacted with the African Union (AU) and member countries in this period. After the submission of the project report, the PMO reviewed the project two times. Then, the PMO directed the MEA to submit the project to AU. The MEA organized a presentation of the project report by a highlevel team to the chairman and members of the AU. AU also constituted a Technical Review Committee consisting of members drawn from AU and international organizations.

The final presentation was made by the Indian team to the Technical Review Committee which observed that this proposal is in line with the missions and objectives of the African Union and provides tremendous potential for achieving the MDG (Millennium Development Goals) through the use of innovative ICT. Meanwhile, I made a presentation of the whole project to the 28 Ambassadors of Pan African countries stationed in Delhi at Rashtrapati Bhavan. After this, an MoU between AU and India was signed on October 27, 2005.

I am giving this example to illustrate how, with focussed attention, a government system has been able to perform in a time bound manner. In the case of private sector enterprises who have much more autonomy of operation, they should definitely be able to achieve higher level of results.

India and Africa: Natural Allies As all of you will agree with me, India and Africa are natural allies. We have many things in common and we have a common civilizational heritage. Now India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed nation by the year 2020.

Hence, I would like to present our national challenges and plans. I am sure that this may be relevant to many of the countries in the AU. Our National Mission — Challenges Our nation is going through a major challenge of uplifting of 260 million people who are below the poverty line and also to give better life for many millions who are on the border line of poverty or just above the poverty line. They need a decent habitat, they need work with reasonable income, they need food, they need speedy access to healthcare, and they need education and finally they need a good life. Our GDP is growing at more than seven percent per annum on an average,whereas, the economists suggest that to uplift the people from below the poverty line, our economy has to grow at the rate of 10 percent per annum consistently, for over a decade.

Integrated action: To meet the need of one billion people, we have the mission of transforming India into a developed nation. We have identified five areas where India has a core competence for integrated action: (1) Agriculture and food processing; (2) Reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all parts of the country; (3) Education and healthcare; (4) Information and communication technology; and (5) Strategic sectors. These five areas are closely inter-related and, if properly implemented, will lead to food, economic and national security of our country.

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Engines for growth: Emphasis should be on full utilization of natural and human resources of the nation to meet the demands of the modern society. We should also remember that about 50 percent of our population is young people with aspirations for better living. Value addition in agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors, building the national core competence and technologies will lead to additional high income employment potential. The engines for growth will be accelerated by launching of the five national missions viz., water, energy, education and skills, infrastructure and employment generation. The totality of these five missions will enable achievement of 10 percent GDP growth rate per annum.

With these aspects in view, we have already laid down the road map. The priority for the government is to convert the road map into various missions. It is to be done in a decentralized manner allowing a greater role for private enterprise and local initiatives.

National Missions and Opportunities Let me discuss some of the national missions that India is giving thrust for achieving sustainable economic development for all the regions of the nation. I am sharing these missions with the members of this conclave, so that you may like to replicate this model in your countries. First I would like to agriculture and agro food processing.

Agriculture and Agro Food Processing India is now producing about 200 million tonnes of foodgrains, as a result of the first green revolution piloted by the political leadership of Shri C. Subramaniam, the scientific leadership of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan and willing farmers. India has now embarked on a second green revolution which will enable increase in productivity and diversification of the agricultural sector. The second green revolution will have the farmers in focus, farming technology as the friend, food processing and marketing as partners and the consumers as customers. From now on to 2020, India will gradually increase the production to around 400 million tonnes of grains. The increase in the production will have to be done under the reduced availability of land from 170 million hectares to 100 million hectares with reduced water availability. Now, I would like to discuss about PURA. Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) The number of PURA units for the whole country is estimated to be 7,000. This envisages integrated connectivities to bring prosperity to rural India. These are — physical connectivity of the village clusters through quality roads and transport; electronic connectivity through tele-communication with high bandwidth fibre optic cables reaching the rural areas from urban cities and through Internet kiosks; and knowledge connectivity through education, vocational training for farmers, artisans and craftsmen and entrepreneurship programmes.

These three connectivities will lead to economic connectivity through starting of enterprises with the help of banks, micro credits and marketing of the products.

Each PURA cluster will connect about 20 villages depending upon the region and population and will cost about Rs. 100 crores ($20 Million). After initial short-term employment during construction etc., we have to plan for initiating actions for

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D O C U M E N T S providing regular employment and self employment opportunities in nationally competitive small enterprises in agro processing, manufacturing and services sectors for about 3000 people. If the industrial/business parks are marketed well, they can generate employment opportunities in support sector for about 10,000 people in that cluster. This will provide sustainable economy for the rural sector. In this national mission, bankers can promote entrepreneurship in the rural areas. This will lead to the removal of urban-rural divide. This experience can become a model for other countries to follow.

Periyar PURA — Transformation of Rural Society Last year I had visited Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for women and inaugurated a project called Periyar PURA (Providing Urban amenities in Rural Areas) Complex. Over 65 villages near Vallam, Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, have been transformed as a PURA Cluster. This PURA complex has all the three connectivities — physical connectivity, which has a circular road and interconnecting roads covering major villages along with bus transport system, it provides electronic connectivity through Internet kiosks and knowledge connectivity through its academic background — leading to economic connectivity to the 65 villages.

The centre of activity emanates from the women engineering college that provides the electronic and knowledge connectivity. Periyar PURA has healthcare centres, primary to postgraduate-level education and vocational training centres.

This has resulted in large scale employment generation and creation of number of entrepreneurs with the active support of 850 self-help groups.

They have innovative water management schemes for irrigation and providing potable water for all the village citizens.

All 65 Periyar PURA villages are having only rain fed irrigation. Two hundred acres of waste land have been developed into cultivable land with innovative water management schemes such as contour ponds and water sheds for storing and irrigating the fields. All the villagers are busy in either cultivation, planting Jatropha, herbal and medicinal plants, power generation using bio-mass, food processing and above all running marketing centres. Due to shortage of rainfall in that locality, farmers were suffering due to scarcity of water not only for agriculture but also for drinking purposes. Keeping this in mind, Periyar PURA developed six percolation ponds and five check dams to harness the rain water amounting to 2.73 lakh cubic meter per year. This water is supporting the irrigation of 300 acres of land through recharging their open wells and bore wells. It also supplies drinking water to the people. Periyar PURA has also developed alternate practices such as contour lands, check dams across natural streams for water conservation and developed a model for irrigation for conservation of water. More than 5,000 farmers are benefitting from this programme. This example will be useful for water management in PURA complexes. Recently, Periyar PURA has brought a number of employment oriented schemes to the tsunamiaffected Nagapattinam villages and trained the self-help groups on Tiles making, paper manufacturing, alternative building blocks manufacturing and a number of commonly used items required in the rural and urban market. This single women

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engineering college have empowered the villagers through skill-oriented training, provision of finance and provision of market connectivity for their produce.

PURA: Loni Model (Maharashtra) Recently, I visited a place called Loni in Maharashtra where a participative model of integrated rural development has come up among 44 villages with the population of 80,000. The architect of this model, Shri Bala Saheb Vikhe Patil, MP of Maharashtra , has a vision of improving the productivity of the rural people through improved quality of life with healthcare, education and employment. The concept is people centric development for social transformation. The thrust area of development has been on comprehensive medicare particularly for women and children, need based health education and econnectivity to the farmers. The complex has created 27 educational and vocational institutions consisting of schools, colleges, polytechnic and ITI including medical and engineering colleges. They have created sugar factory, bio-grass plants, chemical plants and power projects. They have a large number of self-help groups for providing low interest loan for the weaker sections in the society. Due to the co-operative effort of the people, literacy in these villages has gone up from 63 percent to 83 percent, birth rate has come down from 2.3 percent to 2 percent, infant mortality rate has decreased to 35 per 1000 from 70 per 1000 and the standard of living of the people has gone up by over 20 percent compared to other village clusters in the neighbouring areas.

Bio-fuel Mission The government has decided to permit mixing of 10 percent bio-fuel with diesel. This has opened up new opportunities for employment and wealth generation. We have nearly 63 million hectares of wasteland available in the country, out of which 33 million hectares of wasteland have been allotted for tree plantation. Certain multi-purpose trees such as jatropha can grow well in wasteland with very little input. Once grown, the crop has fifty years of life. Fruiting can take place in this plant in less than two years.

It yields oil seeds up to five tonnes per hectare per year and produces two tonnes of bio-diesel. Presently, the cost of biodiesel through the plant is approximately Rs. 17 to Rs. 19 per litre which can be substantially reduced through choice of right size of the plant and using high yield variety plantation. Biodiesel plants grown in 11 million hectares of land can yield a revenue of approximately Rs. 20,000 crore (nearly four billion) a year and provide employment to over 12 million people both for plantation and running of the extraction plants. This is a sustainable development process leading to large scale employment of rural manpower. Also, it will reduce the foreign exchange outflow paid for importing crude oil, the cost of which is continuously rising in the international market.

Moreover, use of bio-fuel is CO2 emission free. This oil can also be used for soap and candle industries. De-oiled cake is a raw material for composting. Also jatropha plantation provides a good environment for honey production. We should absorb the best of technologies available worldwide and start commercial operation soon. I would request the banking community assembled here to take the initiative, generate a detailed

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A F R I C A project report on this project and promote entrepreneurs with financial support from the banks in rural areas who can undertake the plantation and commissioning of extraction plant leading to production of cost-effective bio-fuel. I am sure the biofuel plants can grown in many parts of Africa.

HIV/AIDS It is reported that, in India, the number of HIV-infected people is on the increase. It is critical that the transmission of HIV infection is prevented. An effective vaccine that can prevent this disease will be a cost effective tool for control of infectious diseases. There are three sub-types of viruses classified as A, B and C. I understand that the Indian population is largely affected by sub-type C virus.

There are two candidate vaccines presently considered for use against sub-type C virus in our country. In view of the urgency of finding a cost effective vaccine, the expert group reviewed the vaccine candidate for HIV sub-type C in the pipeline. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vaccine with HIV-1 sub-type C (African strain) developed by Targetted Genetics Corp, USA, was found to be in advanced stage of test in different parts of the world. This HIV vaccine (tgAAC09) is now undergoing Phase-I trial for safety and immunogenicity assessment in healthy HIV uninfected volunteers at National AIDS Research Institute, Pune.

The Indian vaccine has been developed by scientists from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in collaboration with National Aids Research Institute, Pune and Therion Biologics, USA. This is a recombinant vaccine containing six genes from HIV 1-C strain. This vaccine was developed from the virus isolated from National Aids Research Institute, Pune. This will go into Phase-I trial in healthy uninfected adults at Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai during this year. Both these programmes are being progressed as a joint venture between ICMR, National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) and International Aids Vaccine Initiative. In addition to these two vaccines, a DNA-based vaccine and SFV vaccine are also under development.

Time has now arrived to take up this development in a mission mode so that an effective vaccine will be available for our countries within the next two years. Simultaneously, I would suggest that the medical community must start working on the development of anti-vaccines for sub-type A and B also. India and Africa can definitely work together in this programme.

Electronic Connectivity and GRIDs The electronic connectivity for one billion people must transform into a network and provide a seamless access between knowledge creator, converter of knowledgeable products and the knowledge consumers. This can be achieved through the creation of knowledge grid, health grid, governance grid and PURA grid.

To maximize the synergy between the grids, leading to maximization of GDP and productivity, there is a need for inter-grid connectivities, which may be called as societal grid.

Knowledge sharing, knowledge utilization and knowledge reuse is very vital by all constituents of the society for promoting non-linear growth. Societal grid consists of: 1. Knowledge GRID: Inter-connecting universities with

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socio-economic institutions, industries and R&D organizations.

2.. Health Care GRID: Inter-connecting the healthcare institutions of government, corporate and super-specialty hospitals, research institutions, educational institutions and ultimately, pharma, R & D institutions.

3. E-governance GRID: Inter-connecting the central government and state governments and district and block-level offices for G2G and G2C connectivity.

4. PURA Knowledge GRID: Connecting the PURA nodal centres with the village knowledge centres and domain service providers. Since this is the backbone for rural development, all other GRIDs will infuse the knowledge into this GRID for sustainable development, healthcare and good governance. For example, five of the Periyar PURA villages have now connected using Wi-MAX connectivity.

Integrated village knowledge centres will act as an inter-connected delivery mechanism for tele-education tele-medicine and e-governance services apart from individual access by the people, within and between the village knowledge centres through the PURA grid.

Bandwidth as an Infrastructure In order to make the country the most advanced knowledge society, we should aim at making the bandwidth available without hindrance and at no cost. Making the bandwidth available is like the government laying roads. Movement of materials through these roads creates wealth in the industrial economy and the government recovers more than the investment on the roads by way of taxes and enhanced prosperity of its people. In the modern digital economy, driven by knowledge products, bits and bytes traverse the network and create wealth and this will recover the cost of investments in the bandwidth. Costeffective creation of the four grids and inter-connectivity between grids is the profound platform for collaborative research, development and deployment.

Conclusion I have shared with you certain thoughts on development and also certain key accomplishments which have been realized so far. There is substantial scope for co-operation between Africa and India which can provide a better quality of life for the people of both nations. Both the countries have a large biodiversity, substantial amount of natural resources and hard working human resources. Also, Africa and India are aspiring to become developed countries. What we need is to identify the core competence of each one of us and match the core competence with the economic and societal needs of a particular nation. Connectivity is the key for marching towards our goal of development in a faster pace than what we have been doing so far. Knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge dissemination is the vital component for our growth. I am sure that the future conclaves will provide focussed opportunity for both the countries to move towards the development goals in a coherent manner.

My best wishes to the members of this conclave in their mission of expanding the partnership horizons of India and Africa for their mutual benefits.

May God bless you.

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NATURE at its The twin valleys of Lahaul and Spiti in the frozen heights of the Himalayas in the state of Himachal Pradesh is a magnificent moonscape that will take your breath away

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i tuated some 3,000 to 6,000 metres above sea level are the twin valleys of Lahaul and Spiti in the remote and frozen heights of Himachal Pradesh along the Indo-Tibet border. The lush green ambience of Kullu is replaced by an awesome vista of bare, brown mountains, hanging glaciers and snowfields in Lahaul and Spiti district, making it an ideal destination for climbers and trekkers. The region also abounds in fascinating Buddhist art and culture, and its well-preserved monasteries hold rich repositories of ancient murals, thankas, woodcarvings and golden images of Padmasambhava.

The district is named after its two subdivisions, Lahaul and Spiti, with their headquarters at Keylong, which is located 115 km from Manali. The Spiti valley is connected to Lahaul through the 4,500 metre Kunzam Pass.

Spiti Valley has around 30 monasteries and is often referred to as “Little Tibet” owing to its physical similarities with Tibet.

Spiti means “Middle Country”, as it lies between Tibet, Ladakh, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Kullu.

Dhankar Monastery

ATTRACTIONS Gondla: Located 18 km from Keylong, this village holds royal houses and a monastery, which is famous for its fair in July when Lamas dance with abandon. The residence of the Thakur of Gondla, the local chieftain, is an eight-storey building that was built in 1700 A.D. Tandi: Situated at the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers and just 8 km from Keylong, Tandi has mythical significance as it is believed that Chandra, the daughter of the

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Moon, and Bhaga, the son of the Sun god, were married here.

Guru Ghantal Monastery: Located above Tandi, this is believed to be the oldest gompa of Lahaul. This wooden structure has pyramidal roofs, wood carvings and idols of Padmasambhava and Brajeshwari Devi. The Ghantal festival is held here in mid-June.

Keylong: It is an oasis of green fields and willow trees,

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from Kaza, was the erstwhile capital of Spiti kingdom. The monastery holds Buddhist scriptures in Bhoti language, a statue of Dhayan Buddha consisting of four complete figures seated back to back, as well as paintings and sculptures.

Tabo Monastery: Located 50 km from Kaza, this gompa is home to 60 lamas besides a large collection of scriptures, wall paintings and murals, which bear a great similarity to the Ajanta paintings.

Kunzum Pass: Gateway to Spiti from Kullu, this pass offers a panoramic view of the Bara-Sigri glacier (the second-longest glacier in the world). The top of the pass has a temple of goddess Durga.

Kaza: Located 224 km from Manali, 197 km from Keylong and 412 km from Shimla, Kaza is the sub-divisional headquarters of Spiti Valley. It has all modern facilities and is connected by road with Manali and Shimla, except in the winter months.

Kibber: Locally known as Khyipur, it is one of the highest human habitats in the world (4,205m) and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Gette, at a short distance from Khyipur, is said to be the highest human habitat in the world (4,270 m). â–

starkest

streams surrounded by brown hills and snow-capped peaks.

Kardang Monastery: Believed to have been built in the 12th century, this monastery, located 5 km from Keylong, has a large library of Kangyur and Tangyur — Buddhist scriptures in Bhoti. Kardang village was once the capital of Lahaul.

Other important monasteries in Lahaul are the Shashur Monastery and Tayul Gompa, which houses a five-metre-tall statue of Guru Padmasamhava and a library that has 101 Kangyur volumes.

Among other attractions around Keylong are Koksar (21 km), the coldest place in Lahaul; Jispa (20 km), ideal for trout fishing; Darcha (24 km), the starting point for the trek to Padem; Baralacha La (73 km), the point of origin of Chandra, Bhaga and Yunam rivers.

Some of the important monasteries in Spiti Valley are: Kye Monastery: Situated 12 km from Kaza, this is the oldest and the biggest monastery in Spiti and holds beautiful scriptures and paintings of Buddha and other gods and goddesses. Many Lamas receive religious training here.

Dhankar Monastery: Dhankar, situated about 25 km

TOURIST INFORMATION

Icicles in Spiti

How to Get There

BY AIR: The nearest airport is at Chandigarh. Kullu has an all-weather small airport.

BY RAIL: Main railhead is at Chandigarh.

BY ROAD: Well connected by road from Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla (only in summer months).

CLIMATE: Winter: Temperature ranges from 6 degrees Celsius to minus 19 degrees Celsius.

Summer: 26 degrees Celsius to 1.4 degrees Celsius.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: May to mid-October.

WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Gangstang, Keylong Hotel Moonlight, Kaza Tourist Complex, Keylong Tourist Bungalow, Keylong

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■ Contributors ■ TALMIZ AHMAD is presently Additional Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, New Delhi. Ahmad has also served as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Oman in a diplomatic career spanning three decades.

He served as the official spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs in 1997. During the last three decades, he has acquired a special interest in the countries of the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula, having been posted early in his career in Kuwait, Baghdad and Sana’a, and later as Consul General in Jeddah. Ahmad has written ‘Reform in the Arab World’ which provides “an account of this extraordinary intellectual ferment in the Arab world” after the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.. He has also published a monograph titled ‘An Introduction to Contemporary Islamic Groups and Movements in India’.

■ ABDALMAHMOOD ABDALHALEEM MOHAMMAD is Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to India and the Dean of African Diplomatic Corps. A graduate in B.Sc (Hons) from the Department of Political Science at the University of Khartoum and a holder of an M.Sc degree in International Relations from Ohio University, he has to his credit a United Nations Fellowship on Disarmament. In a long diplomatic career, he has also served in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. The Ambassador acted as an envoy from the President to Somalia during the civil war in that country in 1994. He has attended many General Assembly sessions of the U.N. and summits of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

■ GIRIJESH PANT is Professor in the Centre of West Asian and African Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),

New Delhi. He has authored and edited eight books and published more than 50 articles in various journals. He has travelled extensively and attended many national and international seminars. His specialisation includes political economy of development, hydrocarbon economics and India’s energy security. He has also been Vice Chancellor, GGD University, Bilaspur, and vice president of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences. Currently, he is chairperson of the Centre of West Asian and African Studies at JNU. ■ MANISH CHAND is an assistant editor with Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). He writes on foreign policy, politics, cul-

ture and books. He has also worked with The Times of India, The Asian Age and tehelka.com. His articles have been published in leading national and international dailies.

■ APARAJITA BISWAS is professor in the Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai. A post-graduate in International

Relations from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, she completed her Ph.D. in African Studies at the Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai. She was awarded a Visiting Fellowship by the International Development Centre, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford, U.K., in 2002. She was also associated with the Unesco project on ‘European Slave Route in the Indian Ocean’ at Maputo, Mozambique. Dr. Biswas has written extensively in various leading journals, including Africa Quarterly and Economic & Political Weekly, on Africa, the Indian Ocean Region and contemporary international relations.

■ DR. RASHMI KAPOOR is a lecturer in Swahili in the Department of African Studies, University of Delhi. Her field of

specialisation is African Sociology in general and Swahili language in particular. She has recently visited Mauritius for her field work. She has extensively written on the Indian Diaspora in Africa. She is a member of Sudan Study Unit in the Department of African Studies in the University of Delhi.

■ CLAUDIA BELL is professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She has done extensive work in the field of leisure and tourism.

■ FAKIR HASSEN is the South Africa correspondent for the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). He also writes for all leading publications on the South African Indian community. He has been involved in education, broadcasting and journalism for more than three decades and has written extensively on the Indian diaspora.

■ DR. SURESH KUMAR is a senior lecturer in the Department of African Studies, University of Delhi. He did his Ph.D.

from the University of Delhi. His field of specialisation is African politics and political economy. He has published one book and contributed 30 research papers to various journals. He has travelled to African countries to have first-hand information on political developments. He is also Associate Editor, African Digest.

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Note to Contributors Africa Quarterly, published since 1961, is devoted to the study and objective analyses of African affairs and issues related to India-Africa relations. Contributions are invited from outstanding writers, experts and specialists in India, Africa and other countries on various political, economic, social-cultural, literary, philosophical and other themes pertaining to African affairs and India-Africa relations. Preference will be given to those articles which deal succinctly with issues that are both important and clearly defined. Articles which are purely narrative and descriptive and lacking in analytical content are not likely to be accepted.

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In Conversation: Kheir El Din Abdel Latif

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Swahili: Language for Africa’s Renaissance?

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Creating a Brave New Knowledge Society

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