Visit to Africa was fruitful: VP Naidu

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu while emplaning to India briefed in a press conference on board that his recent tour to the African nations of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi were extremely productive and he was successful in discussing significant issues.

In Botswana, Naidu met with his counterpart Slumber Tsogwane. During the meeting, the two vice presidents condemned terrorism and agreed to take determined and credible steps to eradicate the global menace. They also witnessed the signing of the agreement on the exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic passports.

During the bilateral talks, both leaders acknowledged the historical, friendly and warm relations between the two countries and held extensive discussions on bilateral, multilateral and issues of mutual interest. They also reiterated their common desire to further strengthen economic, commercial, technical, educational and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

From Botswana, Naidu visited Zimbabwe to mark the first high-level visit to the country after 21 years. The visit, he said, was based on the common bonds of democracy and a history of colonialism that India and the three African countries share.

He further said that India has supported the three countries in their socio-economic development along with a commitment of sustainable cooperation with regards to trade, health and pharmaceuticals, ICT, minerals, roads and railways, diamond trading, infrastructure and logistics to the African nations.

Naidu, during his visit to Malawi, promised to assist in skill development, tele-education and tele-medicine projects that was launched recently across Africa. In addition, India would be gifting 1,00,000 NCERT school textbooks for classes VIII to XII in Malawi, he said.

During the Vice President's visit, India and Malawi also signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on extradition treaty, cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and visa waiver for diplomatic and official passports.