About Us Press Releases

Commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

Posted on: October 03, 2020 | Back | Print

Embassy of India

Abidjan

*****

 Commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

As part of the commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Embassy of India in Abidjan in partnership with the Sud-Comoe Regional Council and the Grand Bassam Municipality organized public events, where floral tribute was paid at the Mahatma Gandhi Bust in VITIB, Grand Bassam on 02 October 2020 and a free medical camp and medical donation ceremony in Grand Bassam City on 03 October 2020. The two ceremonies were attended by the President of the Sud-Comoe Regional Council who is also the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene of Cote d’Ivoire , Prefect and Mayor of Grand Bassam along with several other local officials as well as the prominent members of the Indian community in Abidjan apart from the Embassy officials and the representative of the Exim Bank of India in Cote d’Ivoire.

2.             The floral tribute ceremony on 02 October 2020 was followed by the commencement of commercial production at the Computer Assembly line installed by Indian company under Government of India LOC at Mahatma Gandhi IT & Biotechnology Park (MGIT-BP) in VITIB. This state of the art  Computer Assembling unit set up in MGIT-BP, having a production capacity of 6000 units per day, is the first in Côte d’Ivoire and is of paramount importance under Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s programme of “one citizen, one computer, one internet connection” and is expected to support Côte d’Ivoire in reaching its students, colleges, universities, and households under this programme. The MGIT-BP was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Vice President of Cote d’Ivoire His Excellency Daniel Kablan Duncan in June 2019 and symbolizes the growing and shining example of cooperation between India and Cote d’Ivoire, energized by high level of political commitment from both the countries.

3.             The events on 02 October also included tree plantation ceremony by the dignitaries at the premises of Africure Pharmaceuticals and Pharmanova Limited, two Indian companies which have set up pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in VITIB. Tree Plantation on 02 October resonates with the message of Mahatma Gandhi on sustainable use of earth’s resources.

4.             On 03 October 2020, Free Medical Camp, sponsored by Africure Pharmaceuticals and Pharmanova Limited saw a huge turnout of the local people where around 300 people were provided free medical consultation and prescription  along with medicines and routine tests of blood sugar, blood pressure and oxygen levels. Consignments of life saving drugs including paracetamol, antibiotics, anti-malarial tablets donated by the Indian companies Africure Pharmaceuticals, Pharmanova Limited and Ajanta Pharmaceuticals Limited was handed over by the Hon’ble Minister of Health and Public Hygiene HE Dr Eugène Aka-Aouélé and the Ambassador of India HE Sailas Thangal to the two public hospitals in Sud-Comoe, namely, Dispensaire Urbaine De Grand Bassam and PMI De Grand Bassam.

5.             Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of India Y K Sailas Thangal highlighted the highly developed pharma sector in India and the availability of affordable quality medical facilities in India. Ambassador also spoke about the high cost of medicines in Cote d’Ivoire as compared to India and the huge potential for closer cooperation in Health sector between India and Cote d’Ivoire.

6.             Delivering his keynote address Minister Aka spoke about various initiatives, Government of Cote d’Ivoire was taking to develop the health sector including the Universal Health Insurance for Ivorian people where he highlighted huge scope for cooperation between Indian and Ivorian health and pharma sector enterprises. He invited the Indian companies to take advantage of various incentives being provided by the government and further enhance commercial ties between our two countries.

7.             Cote d’Ivoire already has the presence of almost all the major Indian Pharma companies and enjoy lion’s share of the local pharma market. The number of Ivorian people going to India for medical treatment has also been increasing in recent years but the year 2020.

8.             Events on 02 and 03 October 2020 marked the end of two-year celebrations from 2018-2020 of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by the Embassy of India in Abidjan.

Abidjan

October 3, 2020.