PM praises African countries for their response to solar alliance initiative taken during UN Conference on Climate Change

May 23, 2017:   Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised African countries for their response to the solar alliance initiative that was taken during the UN Conference on Climate Change. He said from 1996 to 2016 Africa accounted for nearly one fifth of India’s overseas investment. He said, it doubled in the last five years to reach nearly 72 billion US dollars in 2014-15.

The Prime Minister was inaugurating the 52nd Annual Meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) today at Mahatma Mandir in Gadhinagar Gujarat. Mr.Modi said India’s partnership with Africa is based on a model of cooperation which is responsive to the needs of African countries.
The Prime Minister said there is no country in Africa that has not been visited by an Indian Minister in the last three years. Mr.Modi said, after assuming office in 2014, he made Africa a top priority for India’s foreign and economic policy. The Prime Minister said, many of the challenges we face are the same – uplifting our farmers and poor and empowering women.

He said, our challenges also include ensuring that our rural communities have access to finance in building infrastructure. He said by paying subisidies directly to the poor rather than indirectly through price concessions, we have achieved large fiscal savings. Mr. Modi said our aim is that India must be an engine of growth as well as an example in climate friendly development in the years to come.     (AIR NEWS)