New Delhi [India], August 6 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday highlighted India's expanding partnership with Africa, with a focus on human resource development, education, food security and humanitarian assistance.

Addressing an Africa Day event in Delhi, Jaishankar said India has offered more than 80,000 scholarships and training opportunities to African countries over the last 11 years through initiatives including ITEC, ICCR, the CV Raman Fellowships and the e-VBAB digital education portals.

'Human resource development remains at the heart of India's engagement with Africa, and all of you diplomats who are here are an example of that,' Jaishankar said.

He said India has now made a 'qualitative transition' in its engagement with Africa by establishing centres of excellence on the continent, highlighting the IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar and the National Forensic Sciences University in Uganda.

'We have now made a qualitative transition by opening centres of excellence in Africa,' he said, adding that he was 'particularly proud' of the two institutions.

Jaishankar also underlined India's support to African countries during times of crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.

'During times of crisis, our partnership has repeatedly proven its strength and resilience,' he said, stressing that India has 'always stood firmly with Africa', guided by the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', or 'the world is one family'.

Drawing a parallel with the African philosophy of 'Ubuntu', Jaishankar said, 'We know that Africa has a similar outlook in 'Ubuntu', 'I am because we are'.'

He said India's partnership with Africa has also focused on food security as conflicts increasingly impact the Global South. He cited recent supplies of food grains to Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Botswana and Sierra Leone.

Jaishankar further highlighted India's experience in reviving millet production as an area that could be useful to African nations.

'In addition, medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, and disaster relief materials have been sent to over 25 African countries in the last five years as a gesture of our solidarity,' he said.

Recalling the significance of Africa Day, Jaishankar said the occasion commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963.

'Africa Day, we all know, commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963. Now, this historic milestone gave institutional expression to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and to the collective aspirations of the African people,' he said.

Africa Day, which marks the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, now known as the African Union, provides an annual opportunity to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the governments and peoples of Africa. (ANI)