Director (XPD), Dr. Venkatachalam Murugan: Good evening friends. We have Secretary (ER), Shri T S Tirumurti, His Excellency Mr. Abhay Thakur, Ambassador of India to Benin, and we have R Ravindra Jt. Secretary from Ministry
of External Affairs, we have Mr. Nimish Rustagi, Deputy Press Secretary to the President of India.
Secretary (ER), Shri T S Tirumurti: Friends, Hon’ble President of India Shri Ramnath Kovind is currently on a State Visit to Benin as the first leg of his three nation tour of West Africa.
This is the first visit of Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji after taking over of the government. The fact that Africa has been chosen as his first destination attests to the high priority government attaches to our relations with Africa particularly West Africa. This
is also the first ever visit of the Indian President to Benin.
Yesterday, Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji was received on arrival by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Benin. This morning Hon’ble President had a very warm and cordial meeting with His Excellency, President Patrice Talon of Benin.
President of Benin welcomed Hon’ble President warmly and expressed his conviction that the visit of Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji to Benin will give a new momentum to India-Benin bilateral relations. He mentioned that the visit to Benin reflected India’s desire to
work with Africa and impart momentum and dynamism to bilateral relations.
He recalled that since Benin’s independence they have benefitted from India’s development cooperation and India was now the largest partner of Benin. President Talon briefed on the various initiatives being undertaken by his government focusing on reforms and
restructuring to bring greater development and change in society and enhance the welfare of his people.
He requested India to pay special attention to Benin and to promote trade and investment into Benin. He assured the support of Benin for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council as well as our bid to become one of the non-permanent member of
the UN Security Council for 2021-22.
Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji referred to the warm and friendly ties between the two countries and our desire to make these ties truly multidimensional. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to Benin’s development and referred to Benin as trusted friend of India.
He indicated that India would offer e-Visa facility to Beninese nationals to enhance people to people and business links. While expressing satisfaction at the growing development partnership especially the effective utilization of India’s line of credit of
more than $130 million so far. Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji announced an additional $100 million as fresh Lines of Credit for various development projects. Both leaders expressed their happiness at signing of the e-Vidhyabharati Aarogyabharati MoU on tele-education
and tele-medicine program for the African continent.
President Talon particularly appreciated this initiative as it would allow Beninese to benefit from more than 15000 tele-education slots for Africa and 1000 tele-medicine slots for doctors and paramedics from Africa. He also appreciated the extensive capacity
building program extended by India including in the field of defence training. India will also be conducting a special course for diplomats as well as special ITEC course on English proficiency for Benin.
Both leaders welcomed the signing of an MoU on cooperation in the field of export credit and investment insurance where our ECGC will assist Benin and the signing of a Cultural Exchange Program and the agreement on mutual exemption from visa requirements for
Diplomatic and Official Passports. Both the leaders greatly appreciated the strong and robust contribution of the Indian community in Benin.
Both leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They expressed their resolve to promote closer cooperation in Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea. It may be recalled that Benin and other West African countries have assisted in the
release 22 Indian sailors when their ship was hijacked in January 2018.
Benin has been extended 45 slots by India under ITEC for defence training. It is worth mentioning that the Beninese had undergone training in anti-piracy in Pune earlier in February this year and had also joined the AFINDEX 19 – Africa India Field Training
Exercise 2019 in March this year.
Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji also addressed Benin National Assembly. He was accorded a very warm welcome by the President of the National Assembly and all the members of the Parliament. The President of the National Assembly particularly mentioned that he was deeply
appreciative of India’s national motto "Satyamev Jayate.”
He expressed his gratitude for Rashtrapati Ji’s presence in their midst. He called for strengthening relations between the two Parliaments for the betterment of our peoples. He said that Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji’s address from a country of more than 1 billion
people in the Parliament of a country with 11 million people was a shining recognition of Beninese democracy and national diversity.
Hon’ble President spoke about the enduring friendship which binds our two countries. He recalled our common fight against colonialism and our commitment to deepen our democratic roots. He recalled that this year we are also celebrating the 150th birth anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi who had spent 21 years in Africa.
The Hon’ble President appreciated the consolidation of democracy in Benin in the last 30 years and the strength of Benin’s Parliamentary tradition. He touched upon our electoral tradition and the bonds which bind our two countries. He reaffirmed our commitment
to South-South Cooperation and he also touched on a range of issues relating to our contribution to development partnership between India and Benin.
Later in the evening the Hon’ble President of Benin hosted a banquet in honor of our Rashtrapati Ji and tomorrow before leaving Benin for Gambia he will be addressing a meeting of some members of Indian community. Thank you.
Director (XPD), Dr. Venkatachalam Murugan: Thank you Secretary for the detailed account of this historical visit.
Deputy Press Secretary to President, Shri Nimish Rustagi:I would just like to point out that the President personally is extremely happy that he has led the country’s relationship with Africa ever since he became the President.
You would recall that his first visit as the President in October 2017 was also to Africa to Djibouti and Ethiopia and just as it is the first after the new government coming in and also the first in the third year of his presidency.
After his visit to the three countries the President would have completed visits to 23 countries of which 10 would be in Africa. I would again just repeat that President personally is extremely pleased that he is leading India’s initiative to have a strong
relationship with Africa which is very important for the country as the Secretary has just mentioned.
Director (XPD), Dr. Venkatachalam Murugan:
Thank you Nimish. Thank you all.