President Mohammad Khatami has embarked on a weeklong trip to the African continent, which will take him to Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, Benin, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
For some reason or the other, Africa was not high on our political and economic policy agenda. Perhaps it is for this reason that the president's African visit has not found much prominence in the media, unlike his visits to Europe or regional states, which usually are preceded by a blaze of publicity.
Since the period of reconstruction began after the end of the Iraq-imposed war in 1988, the government has been preoccupied with developing proximity with nations geographically and culturally closer to Tehran. Developing ties with the newly-independent states of Central Asia after the break-up of the Soviet Union, building a rapport with a recalcitrant Europe, strengthening ties with Middle East states and renewing relations with Asian countries were some of the main concerns of Iran's foreign policy.
Africa represented an unstable and insecure continent for decades given its long history of colonial rule by the 'white man' and racist regimes. Independence brought civil wars and internal conflicts in some of the African states, and in their wake poverty, starvation and disease. This didn't make things any better for the 'dark continent' or its ties with the rest of the world.
Thus Africa remained on the horizons, geographically distant and politically uncertain. At best Iran's relations with Africa were confined to expressions of political support and initiatives to forge religious affinity with the continent's huge Muslim population.
It should be recalled that Iran's ties with Africa saw a boost for the first time when former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani visited the continent during his second term in office in the last decade.
While President Khatami also visited some of the more important African nations in the past, those visits have not led to any substantial strengthening of relations with African capitals, particularly in economic areas where the scope of making headway is immense.
Annual trade exchanges between Iran and African countries are dismal--a meager $300 million.
The meeting of Iran-Africa Cooperation Headquarters held earlier this month in Tehran and attended by top officials was a breakthrough of sorts. It helped upgrade trade ties and hopefully both sides will keep up the momentum.
The president's current trip should not be seen as a perfunctory gesture, even though it comes just a few months before his term in office concludes.
Africa offers promising opportunities in various fields of trade and commerce and, on the whole, is an investor-friendly continent.
In other sectors, too, like education, health, techno-engineering services and industrial production, there is plenty of scope for developing ties. Iran should cash in on these opportunities, particularly since its non-oil sector is facing setbacks in the regional markets due to stiff competition from other fast-growing economies.
The Iranian private sector, which is known for its entrepreneurship and can do business in the developing countries, should venture into Africa, where commercial activities have exciting prospects. The government should, of course, take the lead by giving full encouragement. Paying lip service to Africa is not enough.