Interacting with members of the Indian community here on Friday
evening, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari urged them to utilise
every opportunity and undertake every initiative to harness the
potential for cooperation that exists in various areas.
Expressing delight to be in Malawi on the
first ever high-level visit from India since Malawi’s independence
in 1964, Ansari said: “The Indian community has been living in this
friendly country for about a century, and has contributed in
significant measure to its development and to the evolution of the
multicultural fabric of Malawian society.”
“The cultural affinity and affection for
India among you and other Overseas Indian communities has prompted
the Government of India to establish the Ministry of Overseas Indian
Affairs with a mission to intensify engagement with Overseas Indians
and work for their welfare,” he added.
He further said: “We have historical
relations with Malawi based on shared values and common experience
of our struggle against colonial rule. Both the countries are multi
party democracies, multiculturaland multi religious societies with
strong commitment to rule of law and respect for human rights. India
is committed to provide all possible assistance to the Government of
Malawi and to President H.E. Mr. Bingu wa Mutharika in his efforts
to improve the economic situation of the people and bring about
overall development of the country.”
“The Government has introduced the
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme to facilitate your travel
to and interaction with India. We would encourage you to take
advantage of these initiatives and work for deepening economic
partnership between India and Malawi. We must utilise every
opportunity and undertake every initiative to harness the potential
for cooperation that exists in the areas of agriculture, mining,
power, science and technology, education, information technology and
Small and Medium Enterprises,” the vice-president added.
India, Ansari said, has announced a grant
of USD one million as emergency relief for rehabilitation following
the series of earthquakes that caused loss of life and property in
Malawi. In addition, afurther USD four million has been issued in
the form of agrant to support Malawi’s development in agriculture,
health and education sectors, he added.
He said that he was happy to inform that
the Indian economy was back on track towards recovery, adding that
economic reforms would continue. He said that he was confident about
the country reclaiming economic growth rates that existed prior to
the crisis.
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