India, Djibouti discuss maritime cooperation, renewable energy

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday held delegation-level talks with his Djiboutian counterpart Omar Guelleh and discussed maritime cooperation and renewable energy among other issues.

"#PresidentKovind accorded ceremonial welcome by President Omar Guelleh at the Presidential Palace in Djibouti; leads delegation-level talks," Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

"#PresidentKovind thanked President Guelleh for support during Op Rahat in 2015; discussed cooperation in maritime & renewable energy domains," it stated.

Operation Raahat was an operation carried out by India to evacuate Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from Yemen during the 2015 military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in that country during the Yemeni crisis.

Over 4,640 Indian citizens along with 960 foreign nationals were evacuated in the operation.

In a separate tweet, Rashtrapati Bhavan said: "#PresidentKovind urged early ratification of Djibouti's membership of International Solar Alliance. Mentioned its solar energy potential."

The India-initiated International Solar Alliance, launched at the UN Conference of Parties (CoP) climate summit in Paris on November 30, 2015, by Prime Minister Modi and then French President Francois Hollande, is conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Kovind arrived here on Tuesday on what is his first visit abroad since assuming office in July. This is also the first ever visit at the head of state or government level from India to Djibouti.

From here, Kovind will leave for Ethiopia on the second and last leg of his two-nation African tour.

--IANS

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