PTI reported that Modi is scheduled to meet Tanzania President John Magufuli, his Mozambique and Kenyan counterparts Filipe Nyusi and Uhuru Kenyatta, respectively, and South African President Jacob Zuma.
Advertisement
“Mozambique and India are no exceptions”.
The Prime Minister also mentioned the 20,000 Mozambican citizens of Indian origin and described them as “a living bridge between our economies and our societies”.
About his visit to Kenya towards the end of his visit, he added, “Talks with President @UKenyatta, deliberations on economic & people-to-people ties will be focus of my Kenya visit”.
Modi set the tone for his continental visit by announcing a raft of cooperation agreements as India scrambles to catch up with its Asian rival China, which has a strong presence across Africa.
This is the first time in 34 years that an Indian prime minister has visited the southern African country which has a coastline on the Indian Ocean.
“History is witness to how Mahatma Gandhi’s stay in South Africa impacted him and the history of the world”.
India will help build capacities of Mozambican security forces by providing training and equipment, amid Modi’s vow to march with the African country on its path of development and progress. He is now in South Africa.
“We have stood with each other in the worldwide arena on a range of issues”.
“We agreed to put cooperation in agriculture on the fast track”.
Referring to the pact signed for purchase of pulses, he said, “We are also strengthening our partnership in food security”.
A long-term agreement to import pulses from Mozambique is expected to be signed on Thursday.
The external affairs ministry, in a post on its website, said that Indian investments in the energy sector in Mozambique amounted to $5.075 billion.
Indian High Commissioner to Mozambique, Rudra Gaurav Shresth told the media that the successful India Africa Forum summit, which was hosted by India in October, was the event which signalled Africa is really important for Indian foreign policy.
Advertisement
On terrorism, Modi said, “Terrorism impacts India and Mozambique equally”. The networks of terror are inter-linked with other transnational crimes.
