Embassy of India

ABIDJAN - COTE D'IVOIRE

Speech by His Excellency Mr. Dinesh Bhatia,

Ambassador of India to

the Republic of Guinea

at Credentials Presentation Ceremony on  9 April 2015

at Conakry; Guinea

Your Excellency Mr. President,

It is my honour and a great privilege to be appointed as Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Republic of Guinea. At the outset, let me mention that Protocol of the Government of Republic of Guinea has received me extremely well since my arrival here in Conakry.

2.        I take this opportunity to convey to you warm greetings and best wishes from the President of India H.E. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee whom I had the privilege to call on just before my departure from Delhi for Abidjan in April 2014. He wished for the happiness and wellbeing of Your Excellency and your family as well as for the peace, stability and prosperity of the friendly people of the Republic of Guinea. 

3.        I also had the opportunity to be debriefed in Delhi by the then Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of India, H.E. Mrs. Preneet Kaur, who had visited Republic of Guinea in January 2014. Your Excellency would recall her landmark visit which witnessed conclusion and signing of two important agreements between India and Guinea.  While conveying that she was extremely impressed with your beautiful country and the leadership Your Excellency has provided to Guinea, she also conveyed her personal regards to you.

4.        Excellency, while peace, security and stability returned to Guinea, it is unfortunate that your country had to undergo a major crisis in the form of Ebola, a deadly virus that has killed several thousands of innocent people in West Africa. I wish to compliment you, your Government and the people of Guinea who showed remarkable resilience to combat this disease. There now seems light at the end of the tunnel.

5.        India extended a bilateral assistance of US$ 50,000 to Guinea to fight Ebola. In addition, India provided cash assistance of US$ 500,000 to WHO as well as a contribution of US$ 10 million to United Nations Fund for Ebola and additional US$ 2 million for purchase of protective gear to tackle Ebola for the three Ebola affected countries of West Africa including Guinea.

6.        With Ebola receding, the Indian investors have started re-considering their plans for engagement with Guinea. India could be a reliable partner for Guinea particularly in crucial sectors such as agriculture, health, rural development, microfinance, infrastructure, energy, and last but not the least, the mining sector. India hopes that the investments from India and the investors will continue to get fair treatment. It would be my endeavor to re-start this engagement process in right earnest.

7.        Excellency, the partnership between India and Guinea in the economic realm is an epitome of South-South Cooperation signifying demand driven, non-conditionality and win-win approach.

8.        The Pan African E-Network project in Guinea is currently operational. India donated fifty electric transformers in April 2007 with capacities between 250 and 400 KVA costing Rs. 17.67 million to help Guinea mitigate its electricity problem.

9.        India had agreed to establish a Bio-mass Gasifier in Guinea for village electrification as well as agreed to donate 175 computers, laptops, monitors, printers and UPS for use in schools and other institutions. I am happy to announce today that the order for the same has been placed and the computers and peripherals should be arriving Conakry in next few weeks.

10.      Guinea has also used US$ 8.5 million line of credit from India for purchase of 100 buses and US$ 20 million for the rehabilitation and extension of the electricity network. Two more Lines of US$ 59.87 million from Guinea for Agricultural Modernization and Development Project and US$ 35 million for financing the health sector in Guinea are currently under finalisation.

11.      I am also happy to note that the state-of-the-art Indo-Guinean Hospital project with initial 150 beds is likely to be commissioned in Conakry this year.

12.      As a unique characteristic of South-South Cooperation, India is committed to capacity building of Guinea, particularly in human resource development.  In the year 2013-14, 30 Guinean availed of training in a variety of areas under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) and travelled to India under fully paid scholarships. The number came down during 2014-15 due to Ebola, but will surely rise this year. In addition, 8 fully scholarship for professional courses, post graduation, post doctoral and visiting fellowship programs are also provided to Guinea.

13.      Excellency, the current world economic situation and the challenges posed by fast evolving political developments around the globe, call for closer cooperation among the countries of the South.

14.      I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that India firmly believes in need for comprehensive reform of global political and economic governance institutions, particularly the expansion of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories to effectively respond to global challenges and reflect contemporary geo-political realities. 

15.      Excellency, you are aware that India, the largest democracy in the world, underwent the mammoth exercise of General Elections in 2014. Following the peaceful and successful elections, a new Government led by the dynamic Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi took over. I may add that the election authorities in Guinea may like to take advantage of the training facilities available with the Election Commission of India and also consider the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), indigenously Made in India.

16.      On this short note, Excellency, I have the honour to present to you the Letter of Credence from the President of the Republic of India accrediting me as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to the Republic of Guinea and the Letter of Recall of my predecessor.

16.      I wish to avail this opportunity to convey to Your Excellency my sincere gratitude for receiving me today. I shall do my utmost to carry out responsibilities that devolve upon me with this ceremony.  I would like to convey to Your Excellency and the friendly people of Guinea the assurances of my highest consideration. 

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