Naidu urges world community to work unitedly to root out terrorism

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on September 4, 2019, called upon the world community to work together to completely root out terrorism and promote a peaceful global order.

Speaking at the valedictory session of a national conference on ‘India-Africa Partnership in a Changing Global Order–Priorities, Prospects and Challenges’ organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)  in New Delhi,  Naidu said that terrorism is the enemy of humanity and must be eliminated. Observing that peace was a prerequisite for progress, he asserted that India believed in peaceful relations with all countries including one of its neighbours provided they did not interfere in the internal affairs of the country.

The Vice President also called for enlarging and democratising the United Nations Security Council, while pointing out that India represented one-sixth of the global population. He said that India and Africa have common interests in issues such as UN Security Council reforms, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and cybersecurity, according to a PIB release. He said that India would stand with Africa for a just, representative and democratic global order to provide a voice for one-third of the humanity that lives in Africa and India.

Naidu said that Africa’s support played a decisive role in making the Non- Aligned Movement initiated by India, Yugoslavia, and Egypt into a powerful voice of the developing world. “The sense of solidarity and unity formed during the Cold War days continues to drive the India-Africa relations to this date,” he added.

Stating that there was a greater scope for India Africa business cooperation, the Vice President said that Africa became an important trade and investment partner for the country with USD 62.66 billion bilateral trade in 2017 – 2018. With cumulative investments in Africa amounting to US$54 billion, he said that India was the fourth-largest investor in Africa and expressed hope that there was scope to explore for more opportunities.