TUNIS-BELVEDERE, Tunisia: The Ambassador of the Republic of India to Tunisia, Nagma Mallick, on January 16, 2013 called on the African Development Bank Group and held a meeting with President Donald Kaberuka in Tunis.
The meeting revolved around cooperation between the South Asian country and the Bank. Ambassador Mallick expressed satisfaction following her talk with President Kaberuka and her country's willingness to organize an âIndia Dayâ alongside the AfDB's 2013 Annual Meetings.
Since the first India-Africa Summit held in New Delhi in April 2008, India has intensified its commitment to Africa. The Government has announced that India will offer an additional line of credit for development projects amounting to US $5.4 billion, both bilaterally and to the regional economic communities in Africa.
The country's collaboration with the Bank Group is articulated around three main pillars: the African Development Fund (ADF) replenishment, a bilateral trust fund, and a co-financing arrangement. The Bank and the Government of India have concluded three technical cooperation agreements as well as joint initiatives. These include co-sponsoring the first India-Africa Partnership Project Conclave in New Delhi. The Export-Import Bank of India also sponsored AfDB Business Opportunities Seminars.
India supports the Bank through the India-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund with an untied grant of US $6.75 million (300 million rupees) which was signed during the Annual Meetings in Abidjan in May 2010. The country also increased its subscription by 47 per cent between ADF-11 and ADF-12.
President Kaberuka encouraged India's active participation in the ADF-13 replenishment discussions to be held in 2013, with continued support for a strong replenishment.
Wednesday's meeting was held in the presence of Bank Group Vice-President and Secretary General, Cecilia Akintomide; the Executive Director's Advisor, Sudhaker Shukla; the Director, Strategy Department, Kapil Kapoor; the President's Special Advisor, Hakim Ben Hammouda; the Resources Mobilization Unit Head, Benoit Chervalier; and the President's Senior Administrative Officer, Yasmine Eita.
India became a State Participant of the African Development Fund on May 6, 1982 and was admitted to the membership of the African Development Bank on December 6, 1983.
SOURCE : African Development Bank (AfDB)
