Friday, August 4th, 2006

New Delhi - India Friday stepped up its diplomatic engagement with the prosperous west African nation Cote D'Ivoire by signing two documents that aim at boosting cooperation in areas as diverse as ICT, trade, mining and energy.

'India acknowledges and appreciates Cote D'Ivoire's support for India's bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council,' Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) at the Hyderabad House here with his visiting counterpart Youssous Pakayoko. Pakayoko is leading a 110-member delegation to India for the second meeting of the Indo-Ivorian Joint Trade Commission.

The two sides also discussed cooperation for the reform of the United Nations with Cote D'Ivore reiterating its support to India's candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Describing Cote D'Ivoire as a 'very important country' in the region, Sharma outlined a picture of cooperation between the two countries in the ICT, petroleum, mining and energy sectors.
'For strengthening of relations in a wide variety of areas, private sector must play an important role in bilateral relations,' Pakayoko said.

 

http://indiaenews.com/2006-08/17350-india-cote-divoire-hands-it-mining.htm