India to host first ever summit with leaders of African nations
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
India is reaching out to African nations in an attempt to bolster its presence on the continent where neighbor and economic rival China has already invested billions of dollars (euros), especially in the oil and energy sector.
The first India-Africa summit is taking place in the Indian capital Tuesday and Wednesday with leaders attending from 14 countries including South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana and Algeria.
The summit is expected to end with the signing of two agreements, one expanding political ties and the other focusing on economic cooperation, India's Junior Minister for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters Monday.
The details of the agreements will be announced at a joint press conference Wednesday, he said.
The summit would "give direction and momentum" to the relationship between India and Africa, Sharma said, calling the meeting "historic."