India and Ivory Coast today explored ways to to step up their overall bilateral engagement in a range of areas including IT and trade and investment.
The two sides deliberated extensively on boosting cooperation in their first Joint Commission meeting which was co-chaired by Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar and Foreign Minister of Ivory Coast Abdullah Toikeusse.
Ways to enhance trade relations was one of the key focus of the meeting which also deliberated on bringing a new momentum to overall engagement.
Toikeusse had arrived here Wednesday on a three-day visit.
India and Ivory Coast have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations and trade and investment ties between the two countries have been on an upswing. The volume of bilateral trade between the two countries was USD 841 in 2014-15.
A number of Indian companies are engaged in exploration and mining of iron, manganese and gold.
There are a large number of Indian companies - small and medium size - involved in trading of cashew, timber and commodities.
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has shown interest in exploration of oil and gas blocks in that country. Several pharmaceutical companies, including Ranbaxy, Cadila, Ajanta, Stride, Bharat Serum, Micro Labs are also have operations in Ivory Coast.
There are estimated over 1500 Indian nationals residing in Ivory Coast. Most of them are engaged in mining, manufacturing, trading and general merchandise business.
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