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NEW DELHI. – Extending India’s continuous engagement with Africa, Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has successfully completed the three nations visit to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi, on Tuesday. 

During his week-long visit, he held wide range discussions with President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa and President of Malawi Professor Arthur Mutharika and other leaders.

The Vice President was received with great warmth and affection in all the three nations. The President of Botswana broke protocol and flew back from his visit to Mozambique to meet the Vice President.

President Mnangagwa spent more than an hour with Naidu to discuss various issues of mutual interest and in Malawi, the President hosted luncheon in honour of the Vice President where the First Lady was also present.

The Vice President’s visit was very significant as this was the first high level visit after a significant gap to these three countries.  In fact, in Zimbabwe, it was after 21 years.

Speaking to media onboard Air India One, Naidu said that with the high level visit of the Vice President, India has been able to make 29 visits to Africa at the level of President, Vice President and Prime Minister and called it an unprecedented feat.

He further said that his visit would help to build on strong foundations and take relations to the next level by reinforcing existing ties and forging relationships in new areas.

“The outcome of my visit clearly indicates that this has been achieved,” he added.

“India’s commitment to support Africa in its developmental process and its efforts in improving diplomatic, bilateral and people-to-people contacts have been unequivocally acknowledged by all the three Presidents,” he said.

Naidu said that Zimbabwe President openly thanked India for standing by the country during their period of isolation, and this was a recognition to India’s commitment.

He said the leadership of all three nations thanked India for a sustained development assistance extended through lines of credit and grants for various projects.

During his visit, India made substantial commitment to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi on development partnership and assistance: US$350 million for projects in Zimbabwe; US$220 million of lines of credit for water supply projects in Malawi as well as setting up of the Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre in Zimbabwe and Malawi as grant assistance were among those.

The Vice President said that capacity building was of special interest to all three countries and they were uniformly appreciative of India’s ITEC programme and the generous slots given for training of their nationals in a variety of fields.

“With Botswana, the Vice President offered to increase the slots from the current 140 per year. India also agreed to depute experts for training of their junior diplomats. We are also deputing five experts in various fields to assist Zimbabwe under ITEC,” he said.

During his interactions with the Vice President and the leadership of three African nations, crucial issues including capacity building, technological knowledge sharing through ITEC programmes, opportunities in trading Minerals including uranium, copper, nickel and railways and infrastructure, logistics etc topped the list.

India’s support in providing skills development, tele-education and tele-medicine in the African region was appreciated by the leadership.

The Vice President’s visit also witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understandings with all the three nations. – India Blooms