Burundi president to meet Manmohan Singh today
New Delhi : Relations between India and Burundi are set to get a fillip when the eastern African country’s president, Pierre Nkurunziza, meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday.
India and Burundi, a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of eastern Africa, share close and friendly relations.
President Nkurunziza is accompanied by his wife Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza. His delegation also includes the Ministers of External Relations and International Cooperation, Agriculture and Livestock, Energy and Mines, and Commerce and Industries besides senior government officials, said an official statement.
President Nkurunziza will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday on matters of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest following which the two countries are to ink an agreement, the statement said.
India is engaged with Burundi in capacity building and infrastructure development programmes bilaterally and through the India Africa Forum Summit process.
The visit of President Nkurunziza “is expected to lead to a further development of bilateral relations between India and the Republic of Burundi”.
President Nkurunziza will also meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
On Tuesday morning, he will be accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan. He will also visit the mausoleum of Mahatma Gandhi for laying a wreath. Among his other engagements are a meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur. He is also to address a business meeting jointly organised by ASSOCHAM, CII and FICCI.
He departs Wednesday night.
Photo : AFP