Need for diversification of trade basket, deeper cooperation in bilateral investment and skill development in key sectors: Anupriya Patel tells visiting Gabones
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Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Anupriya Patel meets Pacome
Moubelet Boubeya, Minister of State, Industry, Gabon
Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry (MoS),
Anupriya Patel today met 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 Hugues Judicael
Mbadinga Madiya, Minister for the Promotion of Investment and Public -Private
Partnership, Republic of Gabon and 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.
The 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.