New Delhi: India and the Republic of Congo (ROC) held the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi, during which they discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral ties and agreed to enhance their cooperation in the multilateral fora.
The talks, held on Thursday, were co-chaired by Sevala Naik Mude, JS (C&WA), and Ambassador Gisele Bouanga-Kalou, Director of Cabinet, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the ROC Government.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, covering political, trade and commerce, investments, defence & security, development partnerships, capacity building, and cultural and people-to-people linkages.
They also discussed ways to further strengthen the ties between India and the ROC. Both sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed to enhance their cooperation in the multilateral fora, a statement said.
India and the ROC, a country situated astride the Equator in west-central Africa, enjoy warm and friendly relations dating back to the pre-Independence era of the ROC.
With the opening of our resident mission in Brazzaville in 2019, our bilateral relations have further strengthened. Bilateral trade has been growing steadily and has reached US$ 1.47 billion during FY 2021–22, up from US$ 527 million in 2018–19.
India had extended three lines of credit (LoCs) worth US$ 214.90 million to the ROC for rural electrification, the development of transportation systems, and the construction of cement plants. India has also been supporting the ROC in capacity building by providing training to Congolese officials in various areas under ITEC, as well as scholarships/fellowships under ICCR.
The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of consultations at Brazzaville, at a mutually convenient date, it said.
