Chandigarh, Oct 29 (PTI) Haryana and Africa will write a new chapter in further strengthening India-Africa relations by cooperating in the fields of trade, commerce and mutual development, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya said here on Friday.

He was speaking as the chief guest at Haryana-Africa Conclave, according to an official statement.

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Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and other distinguished guests and diplomats from 12 African nations, including Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria and Morocco, attended the conclave.

"A watershed moment has been inked in India-Africa bilateral relations through Haryana-Africa Conclave Series-1. It will go a long way in strengthening India's bilateral ties with Africa in more ways than one, and Haryana being the harbinger of this important development,” said the governor.

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"India and Africa are meant for each other. The two regions have set multiple milestones so far in the domain of bilateral cooperation.

"There is no scope for any complacency, we can do much more. We must keep exploring new areas of convergence for mutual engagements, including areas like capacity building, training, e-commerce, financial services, health, technical education, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and so on,” he said.

Addressing the valedictory session of the event in the evening, Chief Minister M L Khattar said the Haryana government will engage with African countries in various fields to develop frameworks of cooperation, maintain brotherhood, promote cultural exchange and people-to-people contact with the vision to increase bilateral relations.

Khattar said that today the world is at the crossroad of transformation.

New technology and digital interfaces are creating a world which is opening both new opportunities and challenges. New processes and new products are opening new ways of economic development, Khattar said.

The chief minister emphasized that people and human values are always at the centre of development and progress.

"Therefore, we also need to give impactful thought through mutual engagements, which will have far-reaching effects on the people and economy of countries & states like ours," he said.

Khattar also said that every single day Haryana is growing, flourishing and achieving new milestones.

"Our clear vision to serve the society, our political will, our good governance, empathy for last person in the line, empowerment and partnerships with stakeholders of the socio-economic development will be the key words to drive future success," he added.

Governor Dattatreya also said there is a huge scope for cooperation between Africa and Haryana, a small state of India but one which has emerged as a hub of sustainable and resilient development at all levels.

"From higher education to skill development, IT-enabled services to logistics development, Haryana is well prepared to partner with Africa and work in a win-win situation,” he said.

"Agriculture and mining are two important pillars of the African economy. I am glad to say that Haryana has proven expertise to help you in the mining sector, and agriculture like anything. I am delighted to share with you the fact that Haryana has played a very important role in ensuring India's food security,” he said.

The governor said that Haryana's higher education institutions in agriculture, science & technology, and skill development are setting new standards in the arena of innovation and research.

"We are now living in a different world order. COVID-19 has put us in a different situation where we have to convert adversities and challenges into opportunities. Together, Haryana and Africa have to script new chapters of mutual cooperation, growth and ease of life. The build back process has become our collective responsibility,” he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)