Accra (Ghana) [India], July 2 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Ghana will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister in three decades, Indian High Commissioner to Ghana Manish Gupta said while highlighting the significance of the visit.
PM Modi is set to begin a five-nation tour on Wednesday, with Ghana being the first stop. During his visit, he will deliver a keynote address in the Ghanaian Parliament, the first such address by an Indian leader.
Speaking toahead of the visit, High Commissioner Manish Gupta said, "We are privileged indeed that the Prime Minister Modi is visiting Ghana for the first time. This is the first visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in three decades. It is a very historical moment for us, and when it comes to our bilateral ties, this is a very deep-rooted relationship with a rich historical legacy."
Outlining the official engagements, Gupta added, "PM Modi will be arriving tomorrow...As soon as he arrives, he will be given all ceremonial honours, and an official-level engagement will follow this. He will be having one-on-one talks with President John Mahama that will be followed by the delegation-level talks. The government here thereafter is going to host a state dinner in his honour...He's going to have a diaspora interaction as well. Thereafter, the Prime Minister is going to visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where he is going to pay homage to the founding Father, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Subsequently, he is going to address the Parliament of Ghana and that is going to be the first address by an Indian leader to the Parliament of Ghana..."
The Indian envoy also emphasised New Delhi's development cooperation with Accra, noting India's investments in Ghana through a combination of private business initiatives, government-to-government grants, and concessional credit lines.
"India is among the leading countries taking the charge for the Global South...As the Prime Minister initiated the policy to make the development human-centric and all-inclusive, this is one of the core priorities for the Global South...We have invested nearly two billion dollars through our Indian businesses in this country. Another billion dollars' worth of investments have come through government-to-government grants, concessional lines of credit, and bias credit programs. Some of the very signature infrastructure came through here through the Indian Partnership, and one of the prime examples you would see tomorrow is the Jubilee House. This has come through Indian Partnership," he said.
During his July 2-3 visit, PM Modi will hold talks with Ghanaian President John Mahama to review the strong bilateral partnership and explore ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, defence, economy, and development. The visit is also expected to strengthen India's engagement with regional blocs such as ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the African Union.
After Ghana, the Prime Minister will proceed to Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Namibia. In Brazil, he will attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 5 and 6.
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