Jaishankar Embarks on Three-Nation Africa Tour to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday embarked on a five-day visit to Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia, with discussions on strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in trade, investment and infrastructure development, expected to feature prominently during his tour.

The visit is aimed at further deepening India's engagement with Africa and strengthening its partnership with countries of the Global South, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. During his visit, Jaishankar will hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts and meet the leadership of all three countries to review the close and longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation between India and the African nations.

Jaishankar's tour will provide an opportunity to review the progress of bilateral cooperation and identify new areas for collaboration with Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. In Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Jaishankar will also chair a Regional Heads of Mission (HoMs) Conference. The meeting is expected to bring together Indian ambassadors and high commissioners posted in the region.

The conference will provide a platform to discuss India's engagement with African countries and assess developments of regional and global significance. The MEA said Jaishankar's visit underlines India's commitment to strengthening its partnership with Africa and furthering its solidarity with the Global South.

The three-nation tour is part of India's continuing diplomatic efforts to expand cooperation with African countries and build stronger partnerships across political, economic and developmental spheres.