African Development Bank to hold 52nd annual meet in Gujarat

With Africa taking the centre-stage in terms of trade and investment, India will host 5-day annual meeting of the African Development Bank in Ahmedabad.
The 52nd annual meeting will be held on May 22-26 in the capital city of Gujarat which is known for hosting mega events like Vibrant Gujarat.
Expressing gratitude to the bank for being selected as host for the annual meet, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said, "We have also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the meeting."
The Prime Minister had announced USD 10 billion Line of Credit to Africa over next 5 years in 2015.

Das said India and Africa share great and long relationship and a great degree of commonality in terms of shared history and challenges.
Speaking on the occasion, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh said the state gives the microcosm of what is happening in India both in industry and culture side.

Gujarat is among top states as far as solar energy generation is concerned, Singh said, adding, under the leadership of Modi during his tenure as chief minister pioneering work was made in renewal energy and agriculture despite being water scare region.
Medical tourism side, he said, Gujarat is highly placed in cardiology, kidney transplant and knee transplant at relatively cheaper cost, he said.

Besides, 90 per cent (total world diamond) of diamond processing and polishing is done in Surat, he said.
Das said India has taken various steps to deepen relationship with African nation.
India joined the African Development Bank in 1982. The country is a key member of the institution's 24 Non-Regional Member Countries, which support the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional resource window of the Bank.
In 2013, Delhi increased its contribution to the 13th replenishment of the fund by 57.28 per cent to USD 18.5 million, among other investments.