An India-Africa partnership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched here by Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who said India is keen to share the latest technology in renewable energy to bring electricity to the remotest corners of Africa.
The partnership was launched at a session on “Africa-India Cooperation on Powering Africa — Strengthening ISA and Africa-India Renewable Energy Partnerships” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as part of the annual meeting here of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“The Indo-African partnership is based on empathy rather than sympathy as the countries face similar challenges,” Goyal said while addressing the session.
While 15 African nations are signatories to the ISA, Goyal, who is also the Minister for New and Renewable Energy, urged other nations from the continent to join the agreement.
Four more African nations — Djibouti, Cote d’Ivoire, Somalia and Ghana — joined the India-initiated ISA on Monday, taking the number of its members to 30.
The island nation of Comoros is expected to sign and submit its ratification instrument soon, according to the Indian External Affairs Ministry.
During the upcoming India visit of the Mauritius’ Prime Minister, the country will be signing and ratifying the framework agreement on May 27.
The Pacific island nation of Nauru also submitted its instrument of ratification at an ISA event held on the sidelines of the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meeting here. This is the first time that India is hosting the AfDB annual meeting after New Delhi hosted the India-Africa Forum Summit in October 2015.
The ISA, launched at the UN Conference of Parties (CoP) climate summit in Paris on November 30, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande, is conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.
The International Steering Committee of the ISA is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
The ISC held its fourth meeting in New Delhi on October 5 last year.
Source:IANS
