African Development Bank – Some thoughts on Intent and Politics of
Meeting in Gandhinagar
1.
What is the logic behind holding the AfDB meet in Gandhinagar's Mahatma
Mandir instead of holding it in Delhi?
The AfDB has been
doing this in the past, having non-members host the Annual Meeting. Their site
says
“ The Ahmedabad gathering is the
fourth time the Annual Meetings are hosted by a non-regional member country,
after Valencia, Spain, in 2000; Shanghai, China, in 2007; and Lisbon, Portugal,
in 2011. In 2018, the meetings will take place in Busan, Korea.”
2.
Is it because a need was felt to keep the participants insulated, away
from civil society, diplomats, intellectuals, who would influence them on
different issues?
I think there is a larger tug of war that is going on which includes
“insulation from these constituencies”, but as the EU is trying to take charge
of AREI perhaps they are creating a counter-block. (See attached letter to EU
from NGOs).
3.
There is a view that China has made major inroads into Africa. By
holding the meet in Gandhinagar, Modi's men would be able to interact with
Gujaratis who are in Africa and are on African boards. Do you agree with this
view?
It is no secret that India wants as much economic space it can garner
through all the mechanisms possible and do all the dirty things that corporates
and hegemonies do. That’s why you find them investing in mining, telecom and
oil and often in areas of conflict (Nigeria, South Sudan, Angola). Perhaps
Indian State is concerned that China has so much surplus to invest that it has
to enable AfDB and also find such filial nexus! The stories of Guptas in South
Africa to big investors like Vedanta are clear articulation of extending our
economic hegemony. Fundamentally, the Indian Corporates are in doldrums and
have also led our banks to be so and the Government is desperate to save the
banks and therefore these indulgent corporates and taking a “hair cut” of
possibly over Rs 860,000 crores (130 Billion USD) the gross NPAs as of now.
Recent analysis suggests that atleast Rs 100,000 crores need to be infused into
the banks for them to survive.
The same article states in their official website, “Key
discussion will focus on how the Bank’s High
5s, especially agriculture and energy,
can be leveraged to promote Africa’s transformation. These include a series of
Presidential forums on critical agro-industry issues, such as Leadership for
Agricultural Transformation; Creative Energy Solutions to Boost African
Agriculture, Innovative Financing for Agriculture, Financing African
Infrastructure, Women in Agriculture, and Changing Perceptions on Agriculture:
the Role of the Entertainment Industry (“Nollywood Meets Bollywood); among
other varied topics and issues.
“Our goal is clear: achieve food
self-sufficiency for Africa in ten years, eliminate malnutrition and hunger and
move Africa to the top of agricultural value chains,” says AfDB President
Akinwumi Adesina. The Bank is investing US $24 billion in agriculture and
agribusiness on the continent in the next 10 years.”
By hosting this event we are also
eyeing for a pie!
4.
Gujarat-based tycoons are interested in making inroads into Africa. Do
you think by holding the meet in Gandhinagar, things would become easier for
them?
Gujaratis in particular but Indian Business in general. Ease of doing
business is a mantra of this government both within the country and outside for
the benefit of the corporates. The crisis in the economy has left very little
options for the Government. After all, not every citizen does business. If it
is not the business of the government to business it also not pandering to one of
the most economically inefficient and corrupt system. The role of government
must and should be only the welfare of the citizens and ensure that atleast the
basic tenets of the constitution are practiced.
5.
By holding the meet in Gandhinagar, no questions would be asked on
racialist attacks in Delhi. Do you agree?
6.
These institutions are insular and multilateral, therefore they will
neither nor it is expected of them to take a stance on the real life of the
people. Even when we talk about the poor quality or often no rehabilitation and
inadequate and de-human resettlements, most MDBs have a long-winding
bureaucratic dispensation of grievance redressal that it will be concluded only
when the project is completed and they have washed their hands.
7.
What could be AfDB's interest in holding the meet in Gujarat?
The fact that EU is trying to take charge of AREI perhaps they are
creating a counter-block may have influenced the Bank. Many African countries
are also vary of China.
Many thanks to Rajiv Shah for provoking to think on specific
questions…
