India extends Line of Credit to Sierra Leone for irrigation purposes

India and Sierra Leone signed six agreements on Sunday, including a Line of Credit to the tune of USD 30 million for irrigation development in Tomabum. According to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, this agreement was signed to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production. He held a delegation-level meeting with the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, at the State House in Freetown on Sunday. According to reports, Naidu's trip marks the first high-level visit from India to the two African countries.

About the agreement of Line of Credit

According to reports, after the delegation meeting, New Delhi extended concessional lines of credit to Sierra Leone worth USD 123 million in sectors such as agriculture, water, and transmission line. Along with it, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sierra Leone has also benefitted lines of credit worth USD 49.45 million from ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) for projects in solar and telecom sector out of the Lines of Credit extended by India to EBID. 

Read | Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu to visit Comoros and Sierra Leone

Naidu's five-day visit

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is on his five-day visit to the West African countries - Union of the Comoros and Sierre Leone. According to reports, the Vice President's visit to the African countries is a part of India's Africa outreach policy that is aiming at intensifying its engagement with the African continent. The visit is expected to provide a new perspective to the relations with these two countries, stated reports. 

Read | PM Modi: Farmers income has increased with the facility of irrigation

The delegation-meeting

Speaking to the media, Naidu stated that the discussions with President Bio focused on the aspects of the bilateral relationship as well as the global and regional issues that were of common interests. Further, they agreed that the United Nations need to be reformed to reflect the realities of today and address current global challenges. Naidu also focused on the issue of terrorism. He stressed and urged all the nations to intensify their efforts to eliminate terrorism and isolate the countries that "aid and abet terrorism."

On India bringing peace and stability in Sierra Leone

Recalling India's role in achieving peace and stability in Sierra Leone, Naidu stated that India was among the first countries to contribute troops. Further, India has also assisted Sierra Leone during the post-conflict peace-building phase.

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On Sierra Leone joining ISA

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu appreciated Sierra Leone for joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The ISA is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries. According to reports, it aims to deploy over 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy and mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030, as stated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Offers to conduct 

During Naidu's visit, India also offered to conduct a Jaipur Foot camp in the west African country under our initiative 'India for Humanity' for the fitting of artificial prosthetic limbs for the disabled. "This is an initiative undertaken in the context of 150th anniversary of #MahatmaGandhi," the Vice President tweeted.

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(With ANI inputs)