President Pranab Mukherjee returned home today after a six day visit to Ghana, Ivory Coast and Namibia where he met top leaders of these countries and inked important agreements. He reiterated India’s commitment to deepen ties and cooperation with all African countries.
Briefing Media on board special flight en route to Delhi, the President said that his visit helped reinvigorate strong bilateral relations that already exist with these countries.
Later in a statment President said: I believe my visits to these three countries have helped reinvigorate our already strong and time-tested bilateral relations. They provide fresh momentum to our overall relations with Africa. We have through these visits conveyed the message that India takes its engagement with Africa seriously and intends to follow up with determination on the announcements made at IAFS III.
India is committed to further consolidate our cooperation with all African countries. Drawing lessons from our own colonial experience, we will continue to focus on capacity building, with a view to strengthening their self-reliance. We will remain an active partner in Africa’s nation building efforts even as we strengthen our political, economic and trade relations with all 54 countries of the continent.”