New Delhi [India], November 29 : Indian Foreign Service Officer VSDL Surendra has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Gabonese Republic.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of External Affairs in a press release on Thursday.
India and Gabon have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly relations dating back to the pre-independence era of Gabon.
The Gabonese embassy in India was established in New Delhi in 2008,as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs in the press statement.
Gabon has collaborated with India in international forums and has regularly supported India's candidatures whenever required. It was one of the first countries to sign and ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement.
It is important to note that both India and Gabon supported each other's bid for non-permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for India in 2021-22 and Gabon in 2022-23.
Around 1,000-1,200 Indians reside in Gabon, with most of them involved in infrastructure projects, trading, export of timber and metal scrap, manganese mining, travel and tourism, among other activities.
Notably, during Prime Minister Modi's third term, India announced the opening of new Indian missions in various countries, including Gabon, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
In recent times, India has taken several initiatives to bring together members from the global south.
While speaking at the third edition of the 'Voice of the Global South' Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for countries of the Global South to unite, stand together with one voice, and become one another's strength. "Let's learn from one another's experiences, share our capabilities, and together transform our resolutions into success," he had said.
"I believe that our strength lies in our unity, and with the strength of this unity, we will move towards a new direction," the PM had added.
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