India - Gabon

14-Jun-2023: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ Project

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project from New Delhi. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as the technical and knowledge partner. In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering students from Gajapati district, which is an Aspirational district of Odisha, will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ which is being developed under this project.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. Today’s launch will add a new chapter in that relationship, he further added. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

Speaking about India-Africa relationship, he said that, in last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa. Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of 'South-South' cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent, he further added.

He also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.

Speaking about India’s G20 Presidency, he said that India's G20 Presidency is very unique given India's role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries, scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.

He said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program.

He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.

14-Jun-2023: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ Project

He said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program.

He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.

2022

20-Jul-2022: Need for diversification of trade basket, deeper cooperation in bilateral investment and skill development in key sectors: Smt. Patel tells the visiting Gabonese Industry Minister

Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry(MoS), Smt. Anupriya Patel today met Mr. Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya, Minister of State, Minister of Industry, Republic of Gabon who is on a two day visit to New Delhi to attend 17th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership. Minister Moubelet-Boubeya was accompanied by a high-level delegation of ten members including Mr. Hugues Judicael Mbadinga Madiya, Minister for the Promotion of Investment and Public -Private Partnership, Republic of Gabon and Ms. Yolande Christiane Nyonda, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The two Ministers held forward looking and productive discussions covering the entire gamut of bilateral trade, commerce, economic and investment ties between the two countries. They also discussed active economic engagement and identified new areas for cooperation, particularly in mining, defence, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. The two Ministers while expressing satisfaction upon the growing bilateral trade which had crossed 1.2 billion USD in 2021-22 despite the pandemic, acknowledged the need for diversification of trade basket and deeper cooperation in bilateral investment.

Minister Moubelet-Boubeya apprised MoS about the investment opportunities in Gabon, especially in the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ) wherein 54 Indian companies have set up manufacturing units in various sectors like pharma, timber, mining, steel and food processing. Both sides noted the need for cooperation in skill development /training and capacity building in key sectors, including quality standards.

MoS appreciated the “Emergent Gabon Vision 2025” plan and assured India's full cooperation in Gabon's transformation and diversification of its economy. Ms. Patel also appreciated the joint efforts of India and Africa Group at the recent WTO Ministerial Conference held in Geneva. Both Ministers have agreed to continue cooperation at various multilateral organisations, including the UN and the WTO.