New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS): Development of human resources is primary to India's engagement with Africa, a senior official said on Monday.

Answering a query about India having less presence than China in the retail sector in African countries, the India-Africa Forum Summit's chief coordinator Syed Akbaruddin said that human resource was the most important element of India's engagement.

"Primary to (our) engagement is human resource. Any other resource is peripheral," he said.

Akbaruddin said India was also laying thrust on boosting skills and people-to-people contacts.

Answering another query, he said that issue of terrorism was expected to come up during meetings at the summit.

"Cooperation in terror is primary goal of Indian foreign policy. There is resonance to this in several parts (of the world)," he said.

Officials from 54 African countries and India met on Monday on the first day of the summit which will end October 29.