To further strengthen the diplomatic and bilateral relations between Haryana and Africa, a two-day 'Haryana-Africa Conclave, Series-1' was organized recently. It emphasized on increasing bilateral trade and connectivity between Africa and Haryana.

Key Points

• Organized by the State Department of Foreign Cooperation under the aegis of Haryana Government in consultation with the Union Ministry of External Affairs under the title 'Transforming Haryana through a Go Global Approach', the conclave was attended by 12 African nations, namely Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nigeria. Ambassadors and senior most embassy officials from Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana and ministers and high officials of Haryana participated.
• The first Haryana-Africa Conclave aims to strengthen economic and cultural ties, as it will not only create a framework and opportunities for cooperation, but also enhance people-to-people ties of both the regions. This conclave is a major step towards further strengthening the long standing friendship, which will pave the way for the development of both the regions.
• On the first day of the Conclave, a cultural program followed by a dinner was organized by the Haryana Government at Gymkhana Club, Chandigarh to understand the prevailing cultural ties between the two regions. In this cultural program, folk dances of Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir were presented by North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala (NZCC).
• Similarly, on the second day of the conclave on October 29, 2021, an interactive session of representatives and dignitaries from African countries and Haryana was organized, which covered agriculture, skill development, education, information technology, agro-based food processing, dairy, sports, Possibilities of cooperation in cultural exchange, mutual interest and many other areas were discussed.

The state of Haryana and the African continent share many similarities, with both regions being agricultural and taking advantage of a young demographic and large consumer market. This synergy will provide a strong foundation for building sustainable economic trade and bilateral relations between Haryana and Africa.