Vice President leaves on visit to three African nations
January 5th, 2010 - 12:18 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari left Tuesday morning on a visit to three African nations.
A special aircraft carrying the vice president and the accompanying delegation left New Delhi for the Zambian capital Lusaka on the first leg of the seven-day trip. After two days in Zambia, Ansari will leave for neighbouring Malawi and Botswana, before returning to India Jan 12.
He was accompanied by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat, members of parliament and a business delegation.
This is one of the highest-level visits from India to the three African countries in recent years. Zambian President Rupiah Banda had attended the India Africa Forum Summit in April 2008, when he was vice president.
India is likely to sign a number of agreements with Zambia, including one for extending a line of credit of $50 million for the Itezhi Tezhi hydropower project. Tata Africa holding has formed a joint venture with Zambia Electricity Supply Company to carry out the project.
There is substantial Indian investment in Zambia’s mining sector, with Vedanta Resources owning a majority stake in the Konkola Copper mine, the largest mining company in the southern African country.
- Ansari meets Zambian leaders, two countries sign bilateral pact - Jan 07, 2010
- India signs $50m loan, offers $75m more to Zambia (Third Lead) - Jan 06, 2010
- India offers $125 million lines of credit to Zambia (Second Lead) - Jan 06, 2010
- Ansari begins tri-nation Africa trip with Zambia Tuesday - Jan 04, 2010
- Zambia seeks strong economic partnership with India: Envoy - Mar 07, 2010
- Indian vice president arrives in Zambia - Jan 05, 2010
- Vice-President arrives in Zambia on three-day visit - Jan 05, 2010
- Tata Africa to double turnover in two years - Jan 08, 2010
- Private sector to lead Indian investment in Africa, says vice president - Jan 12, 2010
- India's private sector will power Africa thrust: Vice President (Lead) - Jan 12, 2010
- Hamid Ansari back from three-nation Africa trip - Jan 12, 2010
- Vice-President on tri-nation African visit next week - Dec 31, 2009
- Vice-President Ansari leaves for Malawi - Jan 07, 2010
- Indo-Zambian ties should progress to exploit enormous opportunities of cooperation: Ansari - Jan 06, 2010
- 'Botswana's diamonds of interest to India' - Jan 05, 2010
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