Kigali [Rwanda], June 25 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday (local time) met with the Tanzanian Foreign Minister Liberata Mulamula and discussed strengthening defence and security ties between the two countries. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “A warm meeting with Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Liberata Mulamula. Discussed our development partnership that has transformed so many lives. It’s results in water, agriculture & education are so visible. Also noted our growing defence & security relationship.”
Jaishankar is in Kigali to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which had earlier been postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic. India and Tanzania on June 16 reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including political, economic and defence at the second round of Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries.
The discussions were led on the Indian side by Puneet R Kundal, Joint Secretary (E&SA), Ministry of External Affairs and on the Tanzanian side by Caesar C. Waitara, Director (Asia & Australasia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. “The consultations reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including political, economic, trade and investment, defence, cultural, people to people, and other areas of mutual interest,” Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.
Multilateral and regional issues including co-operation in UN, East Africa Community (EAC), South African Development Cooperation (SADC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were also discussed.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the growth in bilateral trade, which touched US$ 4.5 billion for 2021-22. The releases said India is one of Tanzania’s biggest trading partners and among the top investors in Tanzania. Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various sectors and explore possibilities of investment in health, education, port development and the agriculture sector.
Tanzania is also a major development partner of India and New Delhi has extended six lines of Credit worth over USD 1.1 billion to Tanzania, especially in the sector of city water supply and management. The Indian side reiterated its commitment to continue the development partnership with Tanzania through loans, grants and other mechanisms.
Both sides also agreed to continue high-level political exchanges and regular meetings of the joint institutional mechanisms to keep the partnership vibrant and mutually beneficial. The consultations were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of consultations at a mutually convenient date in Dar es Salaam. (ANI)
