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INTRODUCTION
The Indo-African Society was formally
established in November of 2002, with the objective to provide a platform for
people-to-people contact, business-to-business interaction, cultural exchange,
and a forum for free exchange of ideas between diplomats, academia, media,
non-governmental organisations and think tanks of India and countries of the
African continent. The objectives are detailed in the following paragraphs.
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
Business-to-Business Interaction
There is great scope for interaction between
India and Africa. Africans, both those from the private and public sectors have
increasingly been looking to India, with its great experience and technical
know-how to help solve some of the longstanding challenges of developing
nations. Opportunities exist in most sectors including: infrastructure,
information technology, agriculture, mining, pharmaceuticals, forestry,
fisheries, energy, telecommunications, education, consultancy, financial
services, textiles, tourism, and small-scale industries, among others. The Society will therefore organise
delegations to African countries, and host incoming delegations to India.
People-to-People Contact
People-to-people contact will include such items
as seminars and talk shows, where the focus is upon topics of India and Africa
cooperation. It will also host interactive sessions where African Ambassadors
can present the opportunities within their respective country to members and
other guests.
Cultural Exchange
It has been established that cultural awareness
is a necessary attribute when nurturing bilateral relations and/or economic
interaction between nations. The Society will promote cultural exchange by organising and/or sponsoring
cultural events, book releases, photo and art exhibitions, fashion shows, film
festivals, etc.
Free Exchange of Ideas
Besides seminars and talk shows as mentioned above, the Society will maintain
a quarterly newsletter – African Digest – where members and other eminent
personalities will contribute articles. These will also be distributed to the
membership and other organizations at no cost.
Society Web Pages
The Society will put up a website. Some pages
will be for all (members and non-members) to see, and others will be
exclusively for members. The Member pages will provide useful information
relating to the mandate of the Society.
THE ORGANISATION
The Secretary General of the Society - Ms.
Linda Brady-Hawke - is the Chief Executive Officer of L.B. Associates (Pvt)
Ltd and Publisher of several magazines including the Extraordinary &
Plenipotentiary Diplomatist and Survive. The firm is a leading Indian Contract
Publisher that produces trade, economic, political and tourism publications for
various organisatins and governments. The firm has served or is currently
serving clients from or resident in over seventy countries worldwide, including
eighteen from the African continent. Many are repeat clients.
In the course of doing business in Africa, Mrs.
Hawke has interacted with government officials, diplomats, individual
businesses, chambers of commerce, export promotion councils, investment
promotion boards, financial institutions, and prominent citizens from almost
one half of the countries on the African continent including: Algeria, Angola,
Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, South
Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She has travelled to
African continent fifteen times since 1997 in the course of doing business and
is thus Africa-friendly and Africa-knowledgeable. Mrs Hawke is married to
William Hawke - a citizen of Canada with a Naval background - who is Managing
Director of the firm.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the main advantage of becoming a member of the Indo-African
Society? What is the USP?
Answer: Apex organisations play a prominent and
important role in promoting India as a destination for investment, and
promoting the talents of India abroad. As such, they should provide prompt and
efficient service to its members. The USP of the Society is therefore Prompt
and Efficient Personal Service to Members.
2. How will my membership fees be used?
Answer: The Indo-African Society is incorporated under
Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 under provisions of the Government of
India and is therefore a non-profit organisation. Membership fees will
therefore be used to carry out objectives and to administer the Society.
JOIN THE INDO-AFRICAN SOCIETY - Click Here
Membership application forms are provided
on the attached sheet. Please fax or mail the duly filled in
application form to the address as indicated.
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