Indo-Africa ties strong, but can't be taken for granted: Ansari

On board Special Aircraft: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Sunday asserted that India's ties with the African continent have always been "very strong" but friendship is something that needs to be "reiterated and renewed" and not taken for granted.
The vice president, on a five-day visit to Rwanda and Uganda, told reporters that his tour was part of a "conscious effort" by the government to intensify the country's interaction and engagement with Africa.
Sources indicated that India is likely to sign a few MoUs during Ansari's visit in various sectors, though no official confirmation has been made.
"India's ties with the African continent have always been very strong but friendship is something that needs to be reiterated and renewed. It's a plant that needs to be watered, and no friendship can be taken for granted," Ansari told a group of reporters en route to Rwanda.
The vice president has already visited five countries in Africa - Nigeria, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Ansari's visit is India's first high-level visit to Rwanda and first high-level bilateral visit to Uganda since 1997.
"Our President has made visits to three African countries, the Prime Minister to four and I have visited five already. Not, much of Central Africa though. And, now Rwanda and Uganda visit is on the same line," he said.
Ansari hailed the two East African countries on their "remarkable progress" after going through a tough period in the past. "Rwanda is a country which has a living memory of very bad and unpleasant experience... and then the 1993-1994 genocide. There was a massive infighting. But they are making remarkable progress. And, international marketing experts are saying it. Also, their economic policies are being welcomed," he said.
"We are development associates and I can say that road that these countries are travelling is the road that we (India) have travelled. So we can share our technology and innovation. We don't try to force them to do anything we let them decide which areas they wish to cooperate," Ansari said, when asked about possible areas of bilateral cooperation.
To emphasise further the India-Africa link, the vice president recalled the services rendered by the country in liberation movement and in fight against apartheid. "So we have friendship with old associations, as we assisted them in their national liberation movement. India's role in the struggle against the apartheid is very well known, especially in East Africa and the experience from India is something the Africans talk about without any hesitation," he said.