Official Spokesperson (Shri Vikas Swarup): Good evening and welcome to this briefing on the second day of the India-Africa Forum Summit. I regret the delay in starting this press conference because I was still with External Affairs Minister who was having her bilaterals. As you know, today the Foreign Ministers of the African countries met with the Indian Foreign Minister and throughout the day they had deliberations. They were working on the outcomes for the India-Africa Forum Summit. After this, as you know, the baton will be passed to the Heads who will meet here on the 29th of October.
Today there was also a Business Exhibition which is in the velodrome which was inaugurated by the Trade Commissioner of the AU together with Hon. Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh. This is a very interesting exhibition which focuses on themes of infrastructure, agriculture, technology and innovation, power and renewable energy, and healthcare. So, those of you who have had the opportunity of seeing this exhibition would recognize how we have put together Indian companies which have certain expertise in these designated areas and how that expertise could meet the requirements of African countries.
Those of you who have not seen the exhibition, I would certainly encourage you to please go and have a look. Some very innovative displays are there. Apollo Hospitals is there on the healthcare side, Jubilant on the biotechnology side. You will see a lot of Indian companies who have come up with innovative products. We always say that Africa needs appropriate technologies, and that is just the right kind of mix of innovation and expertise that can be very useful in taking this partnership forward.
Today, External Affairs Minister co-chaired the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with the Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe. After that she had a series of bilateral meetings. So, I have with me two very senior Joint Secretaries. On my left is Mr. Sanjiv Kohli who is Joint Secretary (West Africa). On my right is Mr. Manpreet Vohra who is Joint Secretary (DPA). DPA, as you know, stands for Development Partnership Administration. This is a new wing which was created a few years ago in MEA to handle all our external developmental partnerships.
Mr. Sanjiv Kohli will brief you on the bilateral meetings that External Affairs Minister had today. And then if you have any questions pertaining to the lines of credit etc., we have Mr. Manpreet Vohra to answer those for you.
With that, the floor is yours Sanjiv.
Joint Secretary (West Africa) (Shri Sanjiv Kohli): Thank you.
In today’s round of bilateral meetings the External Affairs Minister met with her counterparts from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana. She also met with her counterparts from South Sudan and Tunisia.
Her first meeting was with the Foreign Minister of South Africa. The South African Foreign Minister, she spoke very highly about the historic partnership between the two countries. In fact she said that India and South Africa are the only two countries which share Mahatma with them. She said that South Africa would have still been struggling with apartheid if they had not learnt the concept of Satyagraha from Mahatma Gandhi.
She also said that this summit comes at a time when the world affairs are generally in a state of shambles. She referred to the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and also felt that while we have celebrated the 70th anniversary, the Security Council has been so ineffective in meeting or pursuing the primary objectives of the United Nations, that is pursuit of peace, development and security. She said that both India and South Africa need to work together closely not only on bilateral issues or regional affairs but also on important global matters.
She also spoke about how the Government of India has been actively pursuing programmes relating to empowerment of women, education of girl child. And she said that while most countries have these as part of their Constitution, as part of their policy documents, she has been so glad to note that Government of India is actively pursuing it in its policy implementation programmes.
She also referred to how Made in India programme could be so mutually beneficial to India as well as to its partners in Africa. She referred to the availability of raw material in countries in Africa and how Indian technology coupled with the raw material availability can do wonders not only for Make in India but also Make in Africa. So, she saw compatibility in both the programmes.
She also referred to both India and countries in Africa combining together to address the problem of food security. She also referred to the suitability of Indian technology for the defence industry in Africa.
EAM of course reciprocated the very strong sentiments that her counterpart from South Africa had expressed. And both countries have agreed to further deepen and widen their engagement in various spheres of bilateral engagement.
The South African Foreign Minister also requested for more scholarships and for Indian technical assistance, which we have responded to positively and we have agreed to do as much as we can.
Her next meeting was with her counterpart from Zimbabwe. Again a common thread which came out of her meeting with different African leaders was how India has committed resources to support developmental programmes in various countries in Africa. They all saw friendship with India as an all-season friendship. It is not a friendship as varied from good times to bad times or has been contingent on a particular regime in a country in Africa. In all her meetings this common thread came out very clearly.
The Zimbabwean Foreign Minister referred to agriculture sector, energy sector, education sector as areas of priority where they wanted India to strengthen its assistance, and we have responded positively to that.
In her meeting with the Foreign Minister of Malawi, the Malawian Foreign Minister again referred to the very strong developmental partnership that we have including training programmes, lines of credit. He also requested for more scholarships and for further Indian assistance in a variety of areas. They requested for technical assistance from India for the leather sector, small scale mining. They wanted Indian teachers to come to Malawi and train their teachers. They wanted Indian assistance to strengthen their SME sector. And again, he spoke very strongly about India’s case for a permanent seat on the expanded UN Security Council.
In her meeting with the Foreign Minister of Cameroon, in addition to India’s developmental assistance there was also a detailed discussion on how militancy has affected countries such as Nigeria and countries in the neighbourhood including Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin. They wanted India to help them in capacity building in the defence sector so that the combined forces that are right now combating Boko Haram can be strengthened. We have agreed to look positively at the request.
In addition to capacity building, other priority areas which Cameroon mentioned were education, health, agriculture and infrastructure development. They also wanted Indian assistance in the IT sector and Indian private investments in sectors such as roads and highways, port development, water and energy conservation. We have promised them that we would do our best to assist them in various areas of priority that they have identified.
The next meeting was with the Foreign Minister of Cape Verde, which is a small island economy but who have established a reputation of good governance, accountable government and have moved on to a middle income level country. We discussed the possibility of India giving them assistance for reconstruction of one of the islands which was severely hit by a volcanic eruption last year. They also wanted Indian assistance for various sectors including the social sector. We have asked them to give us details of specific proposals and projects that they have in mind and then we will consider them.
The next meeting was with the Foreign Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo. The Foreign Minister of Congo had visited India in May and that had provided us an opportunity to review the entire gamut of our relationship. So, we looked at things which have happened after May. There were certain timelines which were fixed in the meeting in May and both sides agreed that progress has been as per agreed timelines. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation with DR Congo in various areas.
Her last meeting was with the Foreign Minister of Ghana. There had been a personal tragedy in her family, her mother had passed away. So, EAM conveyed her own and Government of India’s condolences. We discussed the various facets of our relationship which has historically been strong. There is a very substantive economic component to the relationship which has been growing. The bilateral trade has almost doubled in the last four years. It now amounts to about USD 2 billion.
There is a large Indian diaspora. We also discussed various projects that have been funded by developmental assistance from India. Again Ghana is a priority country and we would continue to look at ways and means to strengthen our relationship with Ghana.
These were the countries from West Africa and East and Southern Africa with whom the bilaterals were conducted today.
Official Spokesperson: There were two other meetings that EAM had with the Foreign Ministers of Tunisia and with South Sudan. I will just give you a brief read out on those two meetings.
The meeting with South Sudan took place in a very warm and cordial atmosphere. The South Sudan Foreign Minister said that our relationship goes back to before the Independence of South Sudan. He was very grateful for the ITEC slots that India has provided to South Sudan and which have proved to be extremely useful. He put forward a request for Indian assistance in building a hospital in Juba.
There was also great appreciation for India’s assistance in capacity building in ICC. He mentioned that more than 50 South Sudanese nationals come to India every month for treatment in Indian medical facilities. There are 3,000 students from South Sudan who are currently studying in India. There was a discussion on ONGC Videsh’s investments in oilfields in South Sudan where EAM mentioned that because of the security situation in that particular province, the work had stopped. And she requested if work could resume at an early date because ONGC Videsh is very keen that its workers go back and that oil production starts from there. This is in a place called Thar Jath.
The South Sudan Foreign Minister mentioned that their greatest strength is agriculture. The population is only 12 million people but they have huge fertile land. He said that if India could provide them assistance in the agricultural area, then this could really boost agricultural production and grain output in South Sudan.
There was also a discussion on possible Indian assistance in developing the hydro power resources of South Sudan. Thereafter there was a discussion on the political situation in South Sudan. As you know, there has been violence in South Sudan because of the problems between the two major communities there and the problems between President Salwa Kiir and his former Vice President Riek Machar.
The South Sudanese Foreign Minister briefed EAM on the peace agreement which has been brokered in partnership with the IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development), and he expressed the hope that this time the peace agreement would be durable and would help in bringing things back to track.
He also said when EAM mentioned the issues facing ONGC Videsh, he said that their Petroleum Minister is already in Delhi and he has already held meetings with officials in our Ministry of Petroleum as well as with ONGC and both sides are very happy with what they have discussed.
There was also a discussion on the possibility of Indian assistance in livestock because South Sudan, he says, has 14 million heads of cattle which is the biggest in Africa and he said India has considerable experience in livestock and if India could share that experience also.
Three MoUs have been proposed between the two sides. One on Foreign Office consultations which I think is ripe for signature, and also on culture, and on the developmental partnership. So, that was the meeting with South Sudan.
With Tunisia also there was a very good and warm meeting. The Foreign Minister of Tunisia said that India’s relationship with Tunisia has always been extremely close. EAM condemned the recent terrorist incidents in Tunisia and emphasized the need for concerted global action against terrorist entities.
There was also a discussion on the phosphate plant that India has been running in Tunisia, 70 per cent is owned by the Tunisian Government and 30 per cent by two Indian entities. The Tunisian Foreign Minister sad that perhaps India could consider setting up another plant to take forward cooperation in this area.
Then there was a discussion on the situation in Libya. As you know, we still have three Indian hostages in Libya. The Tunisian Foreign Minister said that his country is always ready to assist India. Whatever assistance they could provide in locating those hostages, they would certainly do so.
The Tunisian Foreign Minister also invited the External Affairs Minister to visit Tunisia in the first half of 2016 to co-chair the Joint Commission meeting which is now due between India and Tunisia. Foreign Office consultations have resumed after a gap, and they have proved to be a very good basis for expanding cooperation in the future.
These were the two other bilateral meetings that External Affairs Minister had. As you can see, you get a very good flavor of the kind of discussions we have had really from all parts of Africa – Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Eastern Africa, Western, Central. EAM really had a full spectrum view of our partnership with Africa, how it is developing. I think the Foreign Ministers’ meeting itself has now set the stage for the Heads to meet. Some of the Heads have already started arriving. The first to arrive, as you know, was the King of Morocco. After that some other Heads have also arrived. And by 29th we expect all of them to be here in the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With that I will stop here. If you have any questions now.
Question: You mentioned that Cameroon has sought assistance in capacity building in the defence sector for their fight against Boko Haram. Could we have some specifics on this? What exactly are they looking for from India and what is the time span?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): I think these are preliminary discussions and specific programmes would need to be worked out. But they would be basically in the nature of some specialised training programmes. This could be information sharing. So, the areas would be identified when experts from both sides sit down and look at the specific needs that Cameroon has.
We already have an ongoing cooperation in the capacity building in the defence sector with Nigera. Right now the Nigerian forces have been joined by forces from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin. So, it is a regional force which is taking on Boko Haram. So, we already have a clearly good idea of the requirements that Nigeria has projected to us. So, I think that kind of a regional set up we could look at needs of countries like Cameroon and then see how we could kind of have a capacity building programme for the specific countries so that it gels into the regional effort.
Question: Basically does it mean that we would be sending officers there for the training?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): These could be training programmes. Here we have institutions which cover specific areas like counter insurgency, counter terror. So, these could be some specific batches coming from there for being trained here. These could be customised programmes or this could also be some trainers going from here. This would depend upon a mutually kind of worked out programme.
Question: You also said that the South African Foreign Minister specifically raised the issue of defence cooperation with India. Did she raise the issue of Denel firm which was recently under ban?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): She spoke of defence cooperation not specifically in the India South Africa bilateral context. She was referring to Make in India programme and while referring to how Make in India programme could be so beneficial not only to India but to its partners in Africa, there she referred to how suitable Indian technologies were for the defence requirements of countries in Africa. That reference came in the context of Make in India.
Question: Before the conference we had heard from both South African diplomats as well as I think the Kenyan Foreign Minister who had spoken about their concerns over the Indian provision of anti retro viral drugs in particular but pharma in general, the idea that these supplies could become much more expensive if India lines itself with the US on intellectual property rights and patents. Did that come up in the conversation?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): No.
Question: I actually want to take your attention to a very critical issue which African nationals are facing in India that is racism. Don’t you think it is distorting the image of our country?
Official Spokesperson: First of all, I do not think that this is such a rampant issue that it is affecting everybody. Yes, a few isolated incidents have happened and we condemned them unreservedly. In fact the African Ambassadors have met Minister of State V.K. Singh also twice on this issue. And we have said that any such incident that is brought to our attention, we will immediately and proactively ensure that it is investigated fully and culprits are brought to book.
We also advised in fact the African Ambassadors that they could consider visiting those places in India where a majority of African students are studying. It is really an issue of awareness. Sometimes these things happen because there is lack of awareness. So, we said that if African Ambassadors wish to visit these places, we will facilitate it. And we are with them in ensuring that India remains a totally open place, a free place for African students because this really is the single biggest contribution that India is making to African human resource development.
Today also there were a couple of Ministers that met the External Affairs Minister who recalled their own, I think the Malawi Minister said that he was in India from 1963 to 1968 studying Political Science in Delhi University. This is the very strong and very vibrant link that binds India and Africa together, the fact that many of their senior leadership have studied in Indian institutions and also that many Indian teachers have trained generations of Africans in Africa.
For instance, I know from my experience in Ethiopia that you meet any Ethiopian today and he would say he was taught maths and science by Indian teachers. That I think is a very important link between the African continent and India. And that is something that we want to preserve, we want to nurture and we want to build up on.
Question: Mr. Kohli, mere do savaal hain aapse. Pehla, aapne infrastructure development ki baat ki hai aur us mein jo yahan ki companiyan hain bade, Shapoor Pallonji hai, L&T hai, jinse humne baat ki abhi, unka kehna hai ki Indian Government vahan jo projects hum lene jaate hain toh usko le kar utni helpful nahin hai jitni dusre desh unki companies ko help karti hain. Particularly, Exim Bank ka interest rate ko le kar baar-baar aap yahan baat kar rahe hain.
Aur dusra savaal mera hai hospital aur khas kar voh capacity building ki jab aap baat karte hain toh. Jo yahan par bade private hospital chains hain jab unse humne aaj baat ki toh unhon ne kaha ki vo bahut zyada interest nahin le rahe hain khas kar investment ko le kar. Vo training mein zyada interested hain aur vo investment nahin karna chahte. Toh phir kaun karega? Yeh hospitals aapka Health Ministry karegi? Government kaise karegi kyonki private organisations paisa nahin lagaane ko taiyar hain kisi bhi African country mein.
Official Spokesperson: Main Manpreet Vohra ji se anurodh karunga ki vo inka javaab dein.
Joint Secretary (DPA) (Shri Manpreet Vohra): Jo aapne pehla prashn uthaya uske baare mein toh main dusra prashn aapse puchoonga ki agar Africa mein hum already 9 billion dollars ki LoCs extend kar chuke hain, 6.5 billion dollars ke projects already chal rahe hain, toh clearly hamaari LoCs ki jo terms hain unke hit mein hongi isi liye vo accept kar rahe hain hamaara Line of Credit. Yeh toh bilkul baat vaaje nahin hain ki Government of India madad nahin karti hai. Hum jo extend karte hain yeh soft loans hain, Exim Bank ke through hum jo karte hain. Uske baad jo project execution hota hai vo toh jo tendering process vagairah hota hai vo toh un governments ne karna hai, aur Indian companies jo select hoti hain us tender process se unhon ne aage usko execute karna hai. Bahut saare projects hain jo complete ho chuke hain, bade achhe chal rahe hain. Kuchh projects aise bhi hain jo ki delay hue hain ya ahiste chal rahe hain. Kayi vajah hain unki, kayi saare reasons hain. Toh jahan par bhi koi dikkate aati hain jo ki Government of India step in karke madad kar sakein, kuchh iron out kar sakein, toh hum zarur karte hain. Aaj ke discussions mein bhi kuchh countries ki Foreign Ministers ne hamaare EAM se puchha ki agar aap thoda relax kar sakein, concession aur de sakein kyonki ab unka jo hai debt ratio badh chuka hai, ya koi IMF conditionality aa chuki hai, toh EAM ne fouran kaha ki bilkul hum aapki madad karenge. Aur positively respond kiya humne har us request par.
Question: What about the second question with regard to hospitals?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): Dekhiye agar hum private sector investment ki baat kar rahe hain in the health sector, toh ek investment ka cycle hota hai. Medical tourism bhi usi ek strategy ka hissa hai. Medical tourism toh grow kar raha hai vahan se. Aur jab ek critical mass aa jaata hai of patients from particular country, badi countries Nigeria mein investment hai health sector mein. Indian hospitals ne invest kiya, vahan par inhon ne hospitals aur clinics set up kiye hain. In fact, badi countries ko agar aap chhod bhi dein, abhi do private sector hospitals set up ho rahe hain – ek Guinea Conakry mein through Indian investment, ek hospital Kinshasa mein abhi start hua hai under the public-private partnership model jahan par ek existing governmental hospital tha lekin uska operations ek Indian private group ko hand over kiya gaya hai. Toh doctors vo leke jayenge, manage vo karenge. So, private sector ka apna ek strategy, apna ek investment cycle hai. Lekin yeh medical, health sector ek aisa sector hai jis mein medical tourism bhi badh raha hai aur hamaari investments bhi badh rahi hain. And this is a sector I think which is really going to grow in the near future.
Question: I have two questions. Will India be aligning itself with Africa’s Development Agenda 2063 programme and in what sectors? Secondly, 11 Indians have been arrested in Nigeria and have been there for more than 16 months. Will this be a topic that will be raised when President Buhari is here on Thursday?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): I think talking about the 2063 agenda, you know the documents that have been prepared have been very closely aligned with the priority areas which Africa has set for itself. Both our political declaration and our framework cooperation document really goes into details into those very specific areas. Our model of partnership has always responded to the priorities which Africa has. So, it is but natural that this summit document would also respond to the areas that Africa has set for itself.
Regarding the case of Indian nationals who have been detained in Nigeria, this is a case which is sub judice, we are extending all possible assistance, we are trying to see that the hearing of the case is concluded at the earliest possible. We have been raising it with the African leadership at different levels and will continue to raise it. But since it is a sub judice matter, our prime interest is to see that the hearings are held on regular basis and can be concluded at the earliest possible. It has been raised at various levels and we will continue to raise it.
Question: Did any of these countries seek Indian help in combating terrorism?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): We spoke about the discussions on Boko Haram activities in Nigeria and neighbouring region. We have always maintained that terrorism has to be fought at a global level through concerted action between countries. So, in that context I already mentioned about some of the programmes which we have ongoing training programme with Nigeria which we would be happy to extend to other countries who are part of that zone which is affected by Boko Haram, and we would develop it further.
Question: Vikas, was there something on dal diplomacy given the shortage and food prices going up? Was there any discussion on collaborating in getting pulses from …
Official Spokesperson: No, there was no discussion. As I said, the discussion was on broader developmental themes and there, as Sanjiv mentioned, agriculture came up recurringly where many African countries said that they had huge tracts of land and Indian technology, Indian tractors, Indian expertise. The fact that India with 1.25 billion people has achieved food sufficiency and in fact is exporting food grains was noted with a great deal of appreciation and admiration in fact. They said if Africa could also replicate that green revolution in India to improve their own agricultural productivity. Anything you want to add?
Joint Secretary (West Africa): I would say agriculture is a priority area of cooperation. At the level of Foreign Ministers you really do not go into details which would happen at the level of experts. We have certain requirements which probably Africa can fulfil. So, it is a kind of a programme which would be mutually worked out between the experts.
Question: One question regarding Zimbabwe in particular. We got to know that the Minister had asked for an extended credit line. Was this also mentioned during your discussions? And also, can we get a figure, even though it is a bit early to ask for a figure of investments that we can expect in Zimbabwe in particular because the Minister had gone ahead and said that their country is rich in mineral resources and they would want Indian companies to come and invest over there?
Official Spokesperson: I will get Mr. Manpreet Vohra to respond to that. He has all the investment figures.
Joint Secretary (DPA): I am not sure if I got your second question but to your first question on Zimbabwe and lines of credit, yes we do have lines of credit projects in Zimbabwe. Several of them have been completed, some are ongoing, some are about to be approved. So, there was a roundup of that between the two Foreign Ministers. And we have assured all possible help. There were some suggestions about additional projects and additional help. And we said that we are favourably inclined to considering whatever proposals come from Zimbabwe. I am sorry I did not catch your second question.
Question: I asked about figure of investment in mining sector in particular because there was mining and renewable energy that were mentioned explicitly by the Minister of Zimbabwe.
Joint Secretary (DPA): He mentioned mining for precious stones as one of the fields that they wanted to develop and sought Indian assistance or Indian participation, Indian investment. He did mention the mining sector particularly with reference to mining of precious stones.
Question: On climate change, what was the collective view of the African countries and India?
Official Spokesperson: This is one of the subjects which will come up in the political document actually which as we speak is still being negotiated. So, it will not be appropriate for me to sort of prejudge the outcome of those negotiations. But my overall sense is that India and Africa are on the same page. We all believe strongly in the principle of common and differentiated responsibilities and the fact that we must have a balanced, equitable outcome in Paris. So, I do not expect any big divergence between India and Africa on the issue of climate change. We all stand solidly with each other on this particular issue and on the issue of climate justice.
If there are no other questions, I will just make a couple of announcements. One may be of interest to you all. This is regarding Geeta. Geeta has gone now to Indore. She left by flight today to Indore. In a special gesture, the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mr. Thawar Chand Gehlot personally escorted her to Indore. As you know, he is the Minister who is responsible for rehabilitation. We have already told you about the institute in Indore which specifically works for deaf and mute girls and their rehabilitation, getting them into a vocational field, giving them enough skills to earn a livelihood on their own. So we are hoping that Geeta will be very well looked after in Indore at that particular institution. Those of you who were at the press conference met Mrs. Monica Panjabi Verma who works there. This is an institute started by her own parents. Her own mother is deaf and mute. We believe that this is in the best interest of Geeta. This is the announcement I wanted to make.
Question: …(Inaudible)…
Official Spokesperson: Achha hua aap logon ne yeh puchh liya. Hum log ki abhi baat-cheet Bilkis Idhi ji se ho rahi hai, khud hui hai, aur unhon ne kaha hai ki she has gratefully accepted that donation.
Question: Par Karachi mein press conference karke kaha gaya hai ki …
Official Spokesperson: Hamaare paas toh yahan Bilkis Idhi ji aayi hui hain aur Pradhan Mantri ne unke saamne hi yeh prastav rakha tha, unko hi yeh offer diya tha, aur hamaari toh unse hi direct baat hui hai. Main toh usi ke basis par report kar sakta hun. Unhon ne saaf kaha hai ki humne gratefully Pradhan Mantri ji ka jo offer hai, jo ek crore rupaye ka donation hai, usko accept kiya hai.
Question: …(Inaudible)…
Official Spokesperson: Hum log ne abhi unse recently hi baat ki hai. Ji haan.
Question: …(Inaudible)…
Official Spokesperson: I do not know whether they are going to Ajmer or not. Shayad Agra jaane ki un logon ki baat hai.
Question: …(Inaudible)…
Official Spokesperson: They have returned back to Pakistan? Yeh kahan se aa raha hai aapke paas?
Okay, now I will brief you on the programme of Prime Minister for tomorrow.
Tomorrow from 9 a.m. onwards, Prime Minister is going to have a series of bilateral meetings with the Heads who have arrived. He would be meeting the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Majesty the King of Swaziland, the President of the Republic of Benin, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President of the Republic of Kenya, the President of the Republic of Uganda, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the President of the Republic of Djibouti, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, the President of the Republic of Niger, the President of the Republic of Chad, the President of the Republic of South Africa, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, the President of the Republic of Gabon, the Chairperson of the AU Commission as you know Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the President of the Republic of Guinea, and the Vice President of the Republic of Botswana. This itself tells you the number of bilateral meetings that Prime Minister is going to have. And as I told you, Prime Minister will have bilateral meetings on the 28th, on the 29th and also on the 30th.
Question: …(Inaudible)…
Official Spokesperson: Egypt is definitely coming. The President of Egypt is coming but obviously he is not coming in time to have the meeting on the 28th. So, probably his meeting will be on the 29th or on the 30th. He is meeting 20 leaders just tomorrow.
Question: One clarification. Is the figure of line of credit 9 billion or 7.4 billion?
Official Spokesperson: 7.4 billion is what has been approved out of which I believe 3.5 has been disbursed.
Question: What is 9 billion? Today we are hearing 9 billion? Mrs. Sushma Swaraj also said 9 billion and even you said 9 billion. We were hearing 7.4 billion till yesterday.
Joint Secretary (DPA): It depends on which all you include in that. There are proposals and projects at various stages of approvals. After a project is approved by us there is a second stage wherein the line of credit agreement has to be formally signed between the recipient government and the Exim Bank. If you include all the projects that we have approved, the lines of credit that we have approved, that is close to 9 billion dollars already. And the number of projects that are ongoing under those are 6.5 billion dollars.
Question: Chhota Rajan ko jo passport issue hua Australia mein dusre naam se, vo kaise sambhav ho paya?
Official Spokesperson: Yeh press conference Chhota Rajan ke liye nahin hai. Aur vaise bhi vo Videsh Mantralaya ka issue nahin hai, vo Ministry of Home Affairs ka issue hai.
With that the press conference comes to a close. Thank you all.
(Concluded)
