MoS V Muraleedharan to visit Senegal 24-25 October
The participation of MoS in the Dakar Forum underscores the importance that India attaches to the peace, security and developmental issues concerning Africa. The visit is also in line with India’s policy to intensify and deepen its engagement with Africa
PremiumNEW DELHI: V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, will visit the Republic of Senegal during 24-25 October. Muraleedharan will participate in the Dakar Forum on Peace and Security.
According to a press statement release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Dakar Forum has been held annually since 2014. This year, however, marks the first instance of Ministerial level participation from India. “The participation of MoS in the Dakar Forum underscores the importance that India attaches to the peace, security and developmental issues concerning Africa. The visit is also in line with India’s policy to intensify and deepen its engagement with Africa," the MEA said.
India and Senegal maintain a robust bilateral relationship. Bilateral trade between both countries stood at close to $1.3 billion in 2018-19. There is also a strong basis of development cooperation.
According to the MEA, “Senegal and India also cooperate under the rubric of TEAM-9, the Techno EconomicApproach for Africa India Movement that includes India and 8 countries of West Africa, namely, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal."
High-level leaders from both countries have met frequently. President Macky Sall of Senegal visited India in 2015 and 2017 and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017 and 2019. Other Ministers from Senegal, holding portfolios like Education, Sanitation and Petroleum, have also visited India. India’s Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan and former Minister of State for External Affairs M.J Akbar also visited Senegal in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
Senegal is also home to a small diaspora community of 500 Indians. These individuals are largely working on the development assistance schemes that have been extended to Senegal by india. According to the MEA, Indian Lines of Credit (LoCs) are in “such sectors as agriculture and irrigation, transport, rural electrification, fisheries, women poverty alleviation, IT training and equipment, medical, railways" among others.
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