India, Lesotho discuss ways of strengthening cooperation

Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor hosted a working lunch for visiting Lesotho Foreign Minister Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekao here yesterday.

Mr Tsekao, who arrive here on Monday on a four-day visit, also met Union Rural Develolpment Minister C P Joshi yesterday.

An agreement was signed between the Export Import (EXIM) Bank of India and the Lesotho government on extending a Line of Credit (LOC) of $ 4.7 million from India to Lesotho for setting up vocational training centres in the southern African nation.

This is the first visit of the Foreign Minister of Lesotho to India in more than five years and is aimed at consolidating and strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation existing between the two countries

According to a Ministry of External Affairs press release, India shares excellent relations with the southern African nation. Lesotho holds a favourable view of India's role in Africa and has consistently supported its candidature to various international bodies as well as for its permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

It said the visit was a useful occasion to express India's appreciation in this regard and seek a continuation of Lesotho's support in the future. It said the visit also offered an opportunity to underline India's commitment to South-South cooperation.

The inaugural meeting of the India-Lesotho Joint Commission, held in New Delhi in March last year, had laid the ground work for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in a host of areas.

The release noted that, during the visit of Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili to India in August last year, India had offered a credit line of $ 5 million for promoting trade, among other objectives. Most of the LOC had been utilised for purchase of tractors and irrigation equipment, it said.

India is also supporting, both financially and through training, the setting up of a full-fledged IT Centre at the Lerotholi Polytechnic in Maseru, Lesotho, the release said.

The release said that, following the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in April 2008, India had evolved a comprehensive blueprint for its future cooperation with Africa in several sectors. Lesotho has decided to join the Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme, announced at the IAFS.

Lesotho is also a signatory to the Pan-African e-Network Project initiated by India in African countries in the areas of tele-education and tele-medicine. The project is already is underway in Lesotho.

"India is keen to share the benefits of its growth and technological development with its partners and friends in the developing world, especially in Africa, and sees itself as a long-term development partner of these countries. We propose to implement our own partnership programme which includes seeking African choices for their development and contributing to the fulfillment of Africa’s own development options. This consultative approach is valued by our African partners," the release added.

NNN