Visit of Dr Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs to Liberia and Ghana

Sep 16, 2009

Visit of Dr Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs to Liberia and Ghana (16-21 September 2009)

  16/09/2009  

Dr Shashi Tharoor embarked on his maiden official tour to Africa today after taking over as Minister of State (MOS) for External Affairs. He will visit Liberia and Ghana as part of this six day long tour. The visit to Liberia would be the first bilateral visit in thirty-eight years from the Indian side. The last visit was by then Foreign Minister late Sardar Swaran Singh in 1971. After decades of internal conflict, Liberia is consolidating its democracy under the leadership of President Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is the first democratically elected woman President in Africa. India and Liberia have close and cordial relations dating back to early seventies, both the countries being members of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and sharing democratic values. India has contributed in the UN peace keeping operations in Liberia in the form of a 125 member strong Female Formed Police Unit (FFPU) which is the first ever women contingent in the history of UN peace keeping. Dr Tharoor will visit the FFPU, which is helping maintain law and order in Liberia besides providing armed back up to the Liberian police and security to President Sirleaf.

2. A 15 member business delegation organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) representing diverse sectors is accompanying Dr Tharoor on the visit. Liberia has rich mineral resources, particularly iron ore, gold, diamonds, copper and nickel. Rubber, Coffee and Cocoa are among its agricultural resources. Several Indian private sector companies are interested in participating various economic sectors of Liberia and contribute to its economic development.

3. While in Liberia, Dr Tharoor will have wide ranging discussions with President Sirleaf, Vice President Joseph N Boakai and Acting Foreign Minister William V S Bull. He would also meet with Commerce Minister Mrs Miata Beysolov and the Chairman of National Investment Commission Dr Richard V Tolbert. Dr Tharoor will also address a business-industry event at the National Investment Commission to boost India- Liberia trade and economic relations. He would also meet the sizeable Indian Community during his stay in Liberia.

4. MOS will thereafter travel to Ghana during 19-21 September to participate in the birth centenary celebrations of the first President of Ghana Mr Kwame Nkrumah as special representative of the Prime Minister of India. Minister Tharoor is going to Ghana at the special request of the President of Ghana Prof John Evans Atta Mills who sent a special envoy to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh requesting Indian participation at a high level. Mr Kwame Nkrumah along with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru were amongst the founding fathers of NAM. India and Ghana have close and friendly relations. During the visit, the entire gamut of bilateral relations will be discussed with the Ghanian leadership.

5. Visits to these two important West African countries would strengthen our economic and political relations and reinforce India’s commitment to participate whole-heartedly in the socio-economic development of Africa within the framework of South-South Cooperation.

New Delhi
September 16, 2009