Africa visit to enhance ties: PM Modi

Ahead of his departure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his four-nation tour of African countries is aimed at enhancing ties with that continent, particularly in the economic sphere and people-to-people contacts. Mr Modi will begin his five-day tour with Mozambique and then

travel to South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.The focus of the visit will be on deepening cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons, maritime security, trade and investment, agriculture and food. “My Africa tour, aimed at enhancing ties between India & Africa will begin from Mozambique in a brief but key visit,” he tweeted. “My programmes in South Africa will span across Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban & Pietermaritzburg,” he added.“In Tanzania I will hold talks with President John Magufuli, meet Solar Mamas (a group of rural women solar engineers from Africa who have been trained under GOI-supported programmes to fabricate, install, use, repair and maintain solar lanterns and household solar lighting systems in their villages) and interact with Indian community,” Mr Modi added. With regard to his visit to Kenya in the last leg of his visit, he tweeted, “Talks with President @UKenyatta, deliberations on economic & people-to-people ties will be focus of my Kenya visit.”Giving details in Facebook posts, the Prime Minister said the aim of his visit to Mozambique is to increase cooperation and boost cultural linkages. Later, Mr Modi will travel to Pretoria.“I will have the honour to visit Phoenix Settlement and Pietermaritzburg Station, two places very closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s stay in South Africa. “A visit to South Africa is incomplete without remembering the beloved Madiba (Nelson Mandela). I will also be honoured to visit the Constitutional Hill and Nelson Mandela Foundation where I would pay my tributes to an icon of human history, who made his country and the world a much better place,” he said.According to news agency reports, during his South Africa visit, he will meet President Jacob Zuma as also Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President. “In an effort to boost our economic ties, I will speak at the India-South Africa business meet,” he said. Other programmes of the Prime Minister in Durban include a meeting with the Alumni Network and a reception hosted by the Mayor. “South Africa is home to a vibrant Indian community, that has made South Africa their home for years. I will interact with the Indian community a programme in Johannesburg on 8th July,” the Prime Minister said and invited ideas and inputs for his speech through the “Narendra Modi Mobile App”.