Source: Press Information Bureau
About the forum
- It was held in New Delhi in the year 2008 which was the first such meeting between the heads of state and government of India and 14 countries of Africa chosen by the African Union.
- It is the official platform for Indian-African relations.
- Agenda: Rising oil and food prices were the top concerns for the African and Indian leaders during the summit. India has pledged to support at the level of health and education-related projects in Africa
- Three editions have been held so far—in 2008, 2011, 2015—and with the next edition (IAFS-IV) slated to be held in 2020.
- The recent (2015) summit was held in New Delhi
18 new Indian Missions in Africa
- Recently the Union Cabinet has approved the opening of Missions in Africa to implement commitments to India- Africa Forum Summit(IAFS-III)
- The 18 new Indian Missions in Africa will be opened in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Rwanda, Sao Tome& Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Swaziland and Togo over a four year period from 2018-2021 thereby increasing the number of Resident Indian Missions in Africa from 29 to 47.
- The decision will enhance India’s diplomatic outreach in the African continent and allow India to engage with Indian diaspora in African countries.
- The opening of new Missions is also a step towards implementing the vision of enhanced co-operation and engagement with Africa.
