Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for bolstering Indian-African ties to help developing countries strengthen their position, as he addressed African leaders at a summit in New Delhi. Al-Sisi is one of the delegates from the 54 African Union nations gathering in the Indian capital for the largest Indian-African Summit ever. Al-Sisi affirmed "the importance of building mutual ties" with India in all fields as the Asian country, which boasts one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent, seeks to expand its international reach as well as its economic presence in Africa. But China poses a challenge for India, as Beijing's bilateral trade with Africa reached over $200 billion last year, approximately three times larger than that of India. "We seek to reinforce consultation and coordination between the African and Indian sides to help developing countries achieve the position they earn," al-Sisi told African leaders. The president added that he hopes to achieve "democracy of global ties," allowing developing countries to have equal standing in "international decision-making," mainly in the Security Council in which Egypt won a non-permanent seat for the 2016-2017 term. Al-Sisi, who heads a United Nations climate change committee of African leaders, urged that increased attention be paid to the matter. El-Sisi added that he aims to reach an agreement on climate change that suits the needs of Africa and developing nations, as world leaders prepare to meet in Paris for a UN climate summit in December. He also emphasised the importance of fostering cooperation with India to combat the threat "terrorism and cross-border organised crime" poses to security and stability in both regions. Al-Sisi also sought to urge African and Indian partners to invest in a "New Suez Canal" expansion project that the Egyptian government views as part of a national plan to kickstart a battered economy. Egypt is due to host early in 2016 an African investment and trade forum, which aims to stimulate investment opportunities in the continent. Source: Ahram Online
