Union Minister Pabitra Margherita to Visit Africa for Diplomatic Engagement

Official Visit to Africa

New Delhi, July 16: Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, is scheduled to undertake an official trip to several African nations from July 18 to 25, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday.

His itinerary includes visits to the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Kingdom of Lesotho from July 18 to 22, followed by a stay in the Republic of South Africa from July 23 to 25.

This journey is part of India's ongoing diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with African countries, aiming to enhance bilateral cooperation, discover new partnership opportunities, and represent India at the forthcoming G20 Development Ministerial Meetings (DMM) in South Africa.

During his time in Eswatini, Minister Margherita will meet with King Mswati III and the Prime Minister. He is also set to engage in discussions with the Foreign Minister of Eswatini to address mutual interests and assess the status of bilateral relations, as stated by the MEA.

The talks are anticipated to encompass various topics, including trade, investment, capacity building, development partnerships, and cultural exchanges. The minister will also connect with the Indian diaspora and participate in events highlighting India's development efforts in Eswatini. The ministry expressed optimism that this visit will further solidify the enduring and amicable relations between India and Eswatini.

In Lesotho, Margherita plans to pay a courtesy visit to King Letsie III and Prime Minister Samuel Matekane. He will conduct bilateral discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, along with other key ministers overseeing Information, Communications, Science, Technology & Innovation, Education & Training, and Labour and Employment.

The MEA highlighted that this ministerial visit to Lesotho marks the first in a decade, recalling the inaugural ministerial visit from India to Lesotho by Dr. Mahesh Sharma on July 9, 2015, as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister.

Margherita's agenda in South Africa will center on multilateral discussions as he leads the Indian delegation at the G20 Development Ministerial Meetings (DMM) set for July 24-25 in Skukuza.

On the sidelines of the summit, he is expected to meet with South African Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Lydia Ramokgopa, along with other ministers responsible for development and heads of delegations from G20 member nations, invited countries, and international organizations.

Additionally, the minister will hold bilateral meetings and engage with influential business leaders and members of the Indian community across all three nations.