India's ties with Nigeria, Africa enter new era

Abuja, Oct 15 - India and Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producing country, Monday took a big leap forward in transforming their ties by signing four pacts and forging a strategic partnership, marking a new era in Indian diplomacy in the resource-rich continent.

The two countries moved beyond mere rhetoric to flesh out a detailed time-bound agenda for economic, political and energy cooperation that will be at the heart of a new Indian diplomatic thrust aimed at spurring Africa's development and resurgence as an economically vibrant and peaceful continent.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua on a wide spectrum of bilateral and global issues, including energy security, the intensification of bilateral trade, UN reforms, the Doha development round of multilateral trade talks, climate change and terrorism.

In his talks with Manmohan Singh, the Nigerian president spoke glowingly about the deepening of relations between the two countries and stressed that his country considered the Indian prime minister's visit a 'mark of honour', Nalin Surie, secretary (west) in the external affairs ministry, told journalists.

The president also reiterated Nigeria's support for India's place in an expanded UN security council. Manmohan Singh, the first Indian prime minister to pay an official visit to Nigeria in 45 years, said India will respect Africa's consensus on new permanent membership from the continent.

The Nigerian president also assured Manmohan Singh that all steps are being taken to ensure safety and security of Indian workers in the thriving oil industry of the country, especially in the militancy-ridden oil-rich Niger Delta.

A memorandum of agreement between the Foreign Service Institute and the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy and another MoU between the Indian Council for World Affairs and the Nigerian Institute for World Affairs were inked after the talks between Manmohan Singh and the Nigerian president.

A protocol on Foreign Office consultations, and another MoU on defence cooperation were also signed. Enhanced defence cooperation will entail India helping in the training of Nigerian defence personnel, a process India is already engaged in, setting up of two IT laboratories in the defence academies of Nigeria, technology transfer and joint exercises between the armed forces of both countries.

Over the next six months, agreements on trade, double taxation avoidance, bilateral investment and protection and bilateral air service are to be finalised and signed between the two countries.

An extradition treaty, another one on mutual legal assistance and two agreements on science and technology and cultural exchange programme will also be ready to be signed before April next year.

After the talks, the two countries came out with an ambitious 'Abuja Declaration' that enunciates an all-embracing vision of India-Nigeria strategic relationship with special emphasis on closer energy partnership between the two countries.

'Taking into account the commonalities and complementarities between the two countries it was agreed to establish a strategic partnership between India and Nigeria that would cover bilateral economic, political, trade, security, cultural, education, science and technology and international dimensions,' the Abuja Declaration said.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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