India, Africa pitch for reforms in UN, IMF, World Bank

New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) India and Africa today agreed to work for UN reforms to make the world body truly representative in character and democratic in composition.

This was agreed at a day-long meeting of the Foreign Ministers of 14 African countries ahead of the first ever India-Africa Forum Summit, beginning here tomorrow.

Briefing reporters on the day-long deliberations Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, said it was also agreed to work for reform of international financial bodies like the World Bank and the IMF.

''Both (sides) agreed that multi-national organisations are in need of reform. The UN reforms must be all encompassing to make it truly representative and democratic in character, India and Africa also agreed that other institutions like the IMF and World Bank need to change to consider the attendant political and economic architecture of the world,'' he said in reply to a question.

''The two are also in agreement on the position on climate change...We have common position on WTO and are determined to protect the interests of Asia, Africa and Latin America.'' UNI RB RR RAI2003