Leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and development experts convening at the “Partners for Progress: Africa and India in the Emerging Global Order” conference in Addis Ababa have strongly emphasized the urgent need to leverage influential multilateral platforms to reshape global governance. The high-level gathering, held on July 28, served as a crucial forum to discuss how deeper bilateral cooperation can translate into a formidable collective voice for the Global South in an increasingly multipolar world.
A major focus of the deliberations centered on maximizing the impact of expanding representation within key international bodies. Participants highlighted that the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, alongside the joint presence of India and several African nations within BRICS, creates unprecedented opportunities for strategic alignment.
Speakers noted that these platforms are no longer just forums for diplomatic dialogue but vital arenas where the Global South can actively advocate for reform in international financial institutions, trade norms, and security frameworks. By coordinating their positions within the G20, BRICS, and the UN, India and Africa can effectively counter historical imbalances in global decision-making and ensure that the priorities of developing nations are prioritized on the international stage.
While geopolitical representation was a central theme, leaders stressed that strengthening multilateral influence must go hand in hand with tangible, ground-level implementation. The conference—organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Centre for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRC)—pushed for a transition from traditional solidarity to pragmatic, action-oriented collaboration.
Opening the conference, CDRC Executive Director Abdeta Beyene and ORF Vice President Nilanjan Ghosh underscored that modern partnerships must be driven by innovation, institutional building, and development finance.
This sentiment was echoed in the keynote addresses, which drew powerful parallels between strategic growth roadmaps. India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Anil Kumar Rai, pointed out the striking convergence between Africa’s Agenda 2063 and India’s Vision 2047, describing them as complementary pathways for inclusive growth, sustainable development, and technological innovation.
Amplifying the voice of the Global South also requires structural shifts in how international economics and investment operate. During a dedicated spotlight session titled *Reframing Risk, Unlocking Growth*, CareEdge Group Managing Director and Group CEO Mehul Pandya emphasized the critical need to alter outdated perceptions of investment risk in developing regions. Pandya argued that strengthening investor confidence and expanding access to transparent financing frameworks are prerequisites for unlocking Africa’s vast long-term economic potential.
Furthermore, former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Yadam Foundation founder Ato Demeke Mekonnen advocated for an integrated development approach. He stressed that robust multilateral advocacy must be supported domestically by coordinated financing, climate resilience, digital public infrastructure (DPI), and improved healthcare and food security systems. Mekonnen noted that dynamic partnerships between India and Africa are not only timely in a shifting global order but entirely essential for the greater global good.
