India discusses UN reforms at AU meet
By IANSMonday, July 26, 2010
NEW DELHI - Senior Indian diplomats have held discussions on the reform of the UN Security Council during meetings with African countries at the ongoing African Union Summit in Uganda.
A delegation led by Vivek Katju, Secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, participated in the executive council session held July 22-23. The 15th AU summit is being held July 25-27.
“The issue of UN reform and the common African position was a subject of discussion at the Summit and was also discussed with the foreign ministers, particularly the Committee of 10 of the African Union,” said a press release of the external affairs ministry issued from Kampala Monday.
Katju had met with the foreign ministers of several African nations, including South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Liberia, Mauritius and Equatorial Guinea.
The Indian delegation called on AU chairperson Jean Ping during which they talked about implementing the 2008 India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS).
“The chairperson expressed immense satisfaction at the model of engagement created by India and said it was the most unique and preferred of Africa’s partnerships,” said the press release.
In March, India and the AU had announced the Action Plan of the Framework of Cooperation of the IAFS, which included the establishment of 19 capacity-building institutions, of which four are at the continental level and rest at the regional level.
“The African Union has decided on the locations of some of these institutions in West and Central Africa and communicated those decisions to the Indian delegation at the meeting,” said the press note.
Besides, the implementation of other programmes was also underway, which include placement of the first batch of 75 scholars under the Special Scheme for Agriculture Sciences in the institutions of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, initiation of C.V. Raman fellowships for scientific research and the holding of capacity building courses by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in nine African countries.
