Foreign Minister’s Visit Strengthens India’s Bonds With South Africa, Namibia: Ministry

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s official visits to South Africa and Namibia from 1 June to 6 June 2023, have further cemented India’s strong bonds with these countries, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday.

During his visit to Cape Town, South Africa, from 1-3 June, EAM participated in the BRICS foreign ministers‘ meeting and the Friends of BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on June 1 and 2, respectively.

The meetings provided an opportunity for EAM to present India’s perspectives on global and regional developments, global economic recovery, and the functioning of multilateral institutions, including BRICS.

The Joint BRICS Foreign ministers‘ statement issued on 1 June reflected the collective stance of the member nations. In addition to the multilateral engagements, EAM held separate bilateral interactions with South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor and other foreign ministers attending the BRICS and Friends of BRICS meetings.

EAM also met with the President of South Africa, along with other BRICS ministers, to discuss bilateral issues of mutual interest. During his visit, Jaishankar also addressed and interacted with the Indian community in Cape Town, highlighting the progress made in bilateral relations over the past three decades and India’s contributions within the BRICS framework.

Following his visit to South Africa, EAM traveled to Namibia from 4-6 June. This was the first visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of Namibia. During the visit, EAM called on Hage Geingob, President of Namibia and also co-chaired the inaugural Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (DPM).

The meetings provided a platform for discussing bilateral cooperation across various sectors and identifying new areas of collaboration. During his visit, EAM also addressed the Indian Diaspora in Namibia, highlighting the importance of their contributions to the strengthening of bilateral ties, and met with the Indian diamond business community.

Additionally, EAM inaugurated the India-Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) in Windhoek, which will further enhance cooperation in the field of technology and capacity building.

The MEA’s statement emphasized that EAM Jaishankar’s visits to South Africa and Namibia have reinforced the deep-rooted ties and commitment between India and these countries. The visits provided an excellent opportunity to enhance bilateral cooperation, expand economic partnerships, and explore new avenues for collaboration.

India’s engagement with South Africa and Namibia encompasses various sectors such as trade, investment, development partnership, and people-to-people exchanges.

The MEA further highlighted that EAM Jaishankar’s visits have laid a solid foundation for continued engagement and cooperation between India and these countries, contributing to the further strengthening of the friendship and mutual understanding between the nations.

(Source ANI)