India will be Sierra Leone’s reliable development partner: Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu during his visit to Sierra Leone has assured that India will be a reliable development partner for the country, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday (local time).

“Vice President Venkaiah Naidu assured that India will be a reliable development partner of Sierra Leone in social and economic infrastructure and capacity building etc.,” TS Tirumurti of the MEA said at a press conference.

During his visit, Naidu also stressed on the need to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The ministry further said that India and Sierra Leone signed six agreements including a Line of Credit to the tune of USD 30 million for irrigation development in Tomabum to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.

President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, termed the relation between the two nations as “warm and excellent”.

“During Naidu’s visit, Bio referred to the increasing engagement with India and thanked India for the line of credit of USD 30 million for irrigation and the extensive support from India in capacity building, technology transfer and humanitarian aid,” Tirumurti said.

While thanking India for its unflinching support to Sierra Leone, Bio also underlined the importance of working together at the international forums including the United Nations, the MEA added.

Moreover, Vice President of Sierra Leone Dr Mohammed Juldeh Jallah also recalled the contributions of Indian soldiers towards the restoration of peace and stability while serving in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone in 2000-01.