South Africa sees IAFS good platform to bolster India ties
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New Delhi: South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, sees the upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) as an opportunity to strengthen his country’s economic ties with India across the pharmaceutical, green energy, IT, and agricultural sectors.
"The summit aims to see how relations between the African continent and India can be intensified, expanded and maximised," Sooklal said in an interview published in Independent Online (IOL) news portal. He pointed out that India is a pharmaceutical hub of the world, with many of its companies operating extensively across the African continent, including South Africa. "I believe the decision by the African Union to have South Africa as the pharmaceutical hub of the African continent provides us with an opportunity to partner with India in this sector," he observed.
He said that green energy was another potential area for cooperation, as India, along with France, founded the International Solar Alliance. The country has taken major strides in solar, wind, and hydrogen as part of its green energy campaign, and these were areas on which South Africa and the African continent are also focusing.
"They (India) are also on a massive green energy drive. India, with France, founded the International Solar Alliance. High focus on solar energy, wind energy, and green hydrogen," Sooklal said.
