Facts Box: Lucknow Declaration of India-Africa Defence Ministers’ Conclave

The India-African Nations Defence Ministers’ Conclave was held at the side lines of DefExpo India 2020. The Conclave adopted Lucknow Declaration in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Declaration was signed by 50 African Nations.

Highlights

Under the declaration, the leaders called on to set up Defence Academies in countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia. In order to achieve this, training teams are to be deployed. The teams are to be deployed in Mauritius, Seychelles, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Tanzania and Uganda.

The leaders appreciated the Africa India Field Training Exercises. The first ever AFINDEX was held in March 2019.

Defence and Maritime Cooperation

The leaders agreed to strengthen their cooperation in building the African Standby Forces and also to support peace keeping centres in Africa. The African Leaders also agreed to increase the involvement of troop contribution in UN peace keeping missions.

The importance of oceans was also recognized by the leaders. They agreed to increase their cooperation in preventing piracy, disaster, maritime crimes, securing sea and unregulated fishing.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2020