Jaishankar arrives in Mozambique; energy, defense, trade on agenda

On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar arrived in Mozambique on a three-day official visit and will hold discussions with top leaders to bolster bilateral engagements with the African country.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar on Thursday arrived in Mozambique on a three-day official visit and will hold discussions with top leaders to bolster bilateral engagements with the African country. The visit assumes significance as New Delhi looks forward to enhancing ties with Africa by establishing a diplomatic mission and strengthening cooperation in the areas of trade, defense, energy, and infrastructure.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Arrived in Maputo to an energetic Mozambican welcome. Thank Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Jose Goncalves for the warm reception. Look forward to productive discussions". Jaishankar's first engagement on his arrival was with the speaker of Assembly Mozambique, Esperança Bias. Both the leaders reviewed the political, and economic cooperation between the two countries. Bias urged India to work towards greater expansion of bilateral partnerships between India and Mozambique.

• Arrived in Maputo to an energetic Mozambican welcome. Thank Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Jose Goncalves for the warm reception.
  
  Look forward to productive discussions. pic.twitter.com/Yyy5x4ahha

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 13, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Arrived in Maputo to an energetic Mozambican welcome. Thank Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Jose Goncalves for the warm reception.
  
  Look forward to productive discussions. pic.twitter.com/Yyy5x4ahha

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 13, 2023

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  Arrived in Maputo to an energetic Mozambican welcome. Thank Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Jose Goncalves for the warm reception.
  
  Look forward to productive discussions. pic.twitter.com/Yyy5x4ahha

  — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 13, 2023

"As two democracies, it is very important for us to have regular parliamentary exchanges", Jaishankar said. However, his meeting with top leadership during his visit will see a discussion on energy security as India is currently ramping up efforts to resume operations at a gas project in a terrorist-affected province of Mozambique where an ONGC Videsh-led Indian consortium has a 30% stake.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this is the first visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to Mozambique since 2010. During the two-day visit, EAM will further call on top leadership and also co-chair the 5th Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with Mozambican Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo. He is also expected to meet several other Ministers and will also interact with the Indian diaspora.