This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to the three African nations – Algeria, Mauritania, Malawi…reports Asian Lite News
President Droupadi Murmu will be on a visit to three African nations; Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi from October 13-19, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
Notably, this will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to these three African nations.
“It is coming at a time when the African Union has been made a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency last year. Africa is the core of the global south, as the PM had been driving the agenda. Voice of the Global South has been done with the agenda of development. We believe that partnerships with Africa are very important and critical for our own growth and the growth of the global south,” MEA Secretary (ER) Dammu Ravi said in a press briefing today.
President Murmu will land in Algeria on October 13, where she will be meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune within a month of his second tenure as the President.
She will also be the first-ever President from India to visit Algeria at the level of head of state or head of government after 39 years.
During her visit, President Murmu will be attending an Indian community reception on October 13. On October 14, she will pay her respects at the Maqam Echahid monument, which was made in honour of the people who were killed during the Algerian War of Independence.
Following this, she will have a tete-a-tete with President Tebboune, followed by delegation-level talks and a banquet hosted in her honour. She will also address the Algeria-India Economic Forum on that day.
The President will address the India-Algeria Economic Forum and the Sidi Abdellah Science and Technology Pole University. She will also inaugurate the India Corner at Hamma Garden at Jardin d’essai. She will also be inaugurating an India centre at the Hamma Botanical Garden by planting a sapling from India.
India and Algeria share cordial relations with cooperation in several fields including strategic areas like oil and gas, defence, and space cooperation. The visit is expected to further enhance bilateral ties between the two countries, the MEA added.
On the second leg of her visit, President Murmu will arrive in Mauritania on October 16. This is also the first time for someone at such a high level from India to visit the African nation since its independence in 1960.
Following her arrival, she will be holding a tete-a-tete with the Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, following which they will be signing four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) related to culture, foreign office institutions, foreign office consultation and visa waiver agreements for diplomatic and official passport holders. She will also address the Indian community there.
Mairurania is currently holding the chairship of the African Union. President Murmu’s visit will provide further impetus to India-Mauritania bilateral relations, the MEA said.
President Murmu will land in Malawi on October 17, at the invitation of the President of Malawi. She will also hold a tete-a-tete with him. Following this, President Murmu will address a business event and will also meet with the Indian diaspora there.
“The visit will reaffirm our strong commitment to further strengthen our existing friendly and cordial relations with Malawi,” the MEA stated.
Three MoUs on youth affairs, sports and cultural exchange will also be signed between the two countries.
President Murmu will depart for India from Malawi on October 19.
“The State Visit by President Murmu to Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi is reflective of India’s deep desire to strengthen its partnership with countries in Africa. It comes a year after the African Union was made a permanent member of G 20 during India’s Presidency,” the MEA added. (ANI)
‘Inda-Africa economic partnership is growing’
The partnership between India and Africa is very critical for the growth of India as well as the Global South and President Droupadi Murmu’s upcoming state visit to three African nations demonstrates New Delhi’s commitment to further its relations with the region, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
President Murmu will visit Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi from October 13-19. Notably, this will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to these three African nations.
MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Dammu Ravi said that the importance of the visit has to be seen as Africa as a continent and how India engages itself in making a strong partnership with the continent. He added that the visit came during the time when the African Union was given a permanent seat in the G20 under India’s presidency in 2023.
“It is coming at a time when the African Union has been made a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency last year. Africa is the core of the global south, as the PM had been driving the agenda. Voice of the Global South has been done with the agenda of development. We believe that partnerships with Africa are very important and critical for our own growth and the growth of the global south,” MEA Secy said in a press briefing today.
It is pertinent to note that the African Union became the 21st member of the G20 during the New Delhi Summit in 2023. Prime Minister Modi had advocated for African Union’s inclusion in the grouping.
He mentioned that the presence of 33.2 million Indian diaspora is another reason for the partnership and asserted the growth of the strong economic partnership between both regions. He said that trade between India and Africa has been close to USD 100 billion, with investments close to USD 70 to 80 billion.
“Another reason for the partnership is the diverse issues, one of which is the Indian diaspora in Africa. 33.2 million Indian diaspora is present in Africa. The economic partnership between India and Africa is growing, with trade being close to USD 100 billion annually and with investments close to USD 70 to 80 billion dollars. The development partnership is a very important component of our relationship with Africa in lines of credits, grants and capacity building, as well as critical minerals,” Ravi said.
“In the context of the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20, we need to work closely with the African Union to drive the agenda of development globally and also in the UN. The president’s visit demonstrated our commitment to strengthen our relations with Africa even deeper,” the MEA Secy added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Laos from October 10-11, where he is set to attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit, being hosted by Laos, which is the current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“The State Visit by President Murmu to Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi is reflective of India’s deep desire to strengthen its partnership with countries in Africa. It comes a year after the African Union was made a permanent member of G 20 during India’s Presidency,” the MEA added. (ANI)