PM’s remarks at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 24 Aug, 2023

I am pleased to be here among all my friends in the land of Africa. I extend my congratulations to President Ramaphosa for providing an opportunity to share thoughts with the countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America during the BRICS Outreach Summit. Over the past two days, in all the discussions of BRICS, we have focused on the priorities and concerns of the Global South countries. We believe that giving special importance to these issues by BRICS is crucial in the present times. We have also taken the decision to expand the BRICS forum. We welcome all the partner countries. This is an initiative towards our efforts of making the global institutions and forums, representative and inclusive. Excellencies, When we use the term “Global South,” it’s not just a diplomatic term. In our shared history, we have unitedly opposed colonialism and apartheid. It was on the land of Africa that Mahatma Gandhi developed, tested, the powerful concepts like non-violence and peaceful resistance and used them in India’s freedom struggle. His thoughts and ideas also inspired great leaders like Nelson Mandela. Based on this strong historical foundation, we are giving a new shape to our modern relationships. Excellencies, India has accorded high priority to its relations with Africa. Alongside high-level meetings, we have also opened 16 new embassies in Africa. Presently, India is Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner and the fifth-largest investor. Whether it’s power projects in Sudan, Burundi, and Rwanda, or sugar plants in Ethiopia and Malawi. Whether it’s technology parks in Mozambique, Ivory Coast, and Eswatini, or campuses established by Indian universities in Tanzania and Uganda. India has always given priority to Capacity Building and Infrastructure Development in African countries. Under Agenda 2063, India is a reliable and close partner in Africa’s journey to become a global powerhouse of the future. To bridge the digital divide in Africa, we have provided over fifteen thousand scholarships in tele-education and tele-medicine. We have established defence academies and colleges in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. We have deployed teams for training in Botswana, Namibia, Uganda, Lesotho, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tanzania. Approximately 4400 Indian peacekeepers, including women, are contributing to peace and stability in Africa. We are also working together with the African countries in the fight against terrorism and piracy. During the challenging times of the COVID Pandemic, we supplied food items and vaccines to several countries. Now, we are working on joint manufacturing of COVID and other vaccines with African nations. Whether it’s cyclones in Mozambique and Malawi or floods in Madagascar, India always stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Africa as a first responder. Excellencies, From Latin America to Central Asia; From Western Asia to South-East Asia; From Indo-Pacific to Indo-Atlantic; India sees all countries as part of one global family. The concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” –i.e. the whole world is a family – has been the foundation of our way of life for thousands of years. This is also the motto of our G-20 presidency. To mainstream the concerns of the Global South, we have invited three African countries and several developing nations as guest countries. India has also proposed permanent membership for the African Union in the G-20. Excellencies, I believe that BRICS and all the present friendly nations can collaborate to strengthen a multipolar world. We can make progress in reforming global institutions to make them representative and relevant. Countering terrorism, environmental security, climate action, cyber security, food and health security, energy security, and building resilient supply chains are our common interests. There are immense possibilities for cooperation. I invite you all to participate in our international initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance; One Sun, One World, One Grid; Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure; One Earth One Health; Big Cat Alliance; and Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. I invite you to connect with India’s digital public infrastructure stack and leverage it for your respective development. We would be happy to share our experience and capabilities with you all. I am confident that our joint efforts will give us a new self-confidence to face all challenges together. Once again, I express my gratitude to all of you, especially President Ramaphosa, for this opportunity. Thank you.