India offers assistance in fighting B/Haram

India has offered to share its experience in insurgency operations with African countries impacted with the scourge of IS-affiliated terror group Boko Haram, with Cameroon foreign minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella making a specific request to India’s External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. During their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of India-Africa Forum Summit, Cameroon foreign minister […]

India has offered to share its experience in insurgency operations with African countries impacted with the scourge of IS-affiliated terror group Boko Haram, with Cameroon foreign minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella making a specific request to India’s External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.
During their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of India-Africa Forum Summit, Cameroon foreign minister Mbella gave a detailed picture on how militancy had affected not just Nigeria, but also Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin.
Mbella then asked for Indian help in capacity building to strengthen Cameroon’s defence forces, especially in context of Boko Haram.
“They wanted India to help them in capacity building in defence sector, so that the combined forces which are right now combating Boko Haram can be strengthened. We have agreed to look at positively at this respect,” ministry of external affairs joint secretary (West Africa) Sanjeev Kohli told reporters.
Kohli said that India will call for a meeting between experts to gauge the needs of the Cameroonian defence forces. He indicated that it could be in the shape of specialized training programs and information exchange, but further rounds of discussions would be required to firm up the nature of Indian assistance.