Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today embarked on a five-day visit to Comoros and Sierra Leone. It is the first high-level visit from India to the two African countries.
In his departure statement, Mr Naidu said, India and Africa have a shared history and are inheritors of a rich cultural legacy. He said, India and Africa are also witnessing rapid economic growth, rising standards of health and education, increasing gender parity and expanding infrastructure and connectivity. The Vice President said, he is looking forward to productive delegation-level talks and fruitful interactions with heads of states, other dignitaries and Indian diaspora. He hoped that the visit will strengthen people-to-people contacts and bilateral ties between both the countries.
Mr. Naidu will arrive in Moroni, the capital of Comoros today and will hold a detailed bilateral meeting with country’s President Azali Assoumani tomorrow.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, a number of MoUs and agreements are expected to be signed during the visit.
The three-day visit will witness the Vice President interacting with the Indian community and calling on Abdou Ousseni the President of the Assembly of Comoros.
New Delhi has extended concessional lines of credit of 41.6 million US Dollars for setting up an 18 MW power plant in Moroni. The bilateral trade is modest and reached 47.11 million US Dollars in 2018-19.
On the second leg of his visit, Mr. Naidu will arrive in Free Town, Sierra Leone on Saturday. The following day, he will have a detailed bilateral meeting with country’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio and will meet Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament Chernor Bundu as well as country’s Foreign Minister Nabeela Farida Tunia. The MEA said the visit of Vice President is part of India’s Africa outreach policy.
