Indian foreign minister to embark on first Latin America, Caribbean tour
New Delhi, Apr 19 (EFE).- Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar is set to carry out a 10-day tour of Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Dominican Republic beginning Apr. 21, the government announced on Wednesday, at a time when New Delhi is trying to emerge as a leader of the Global South.
Jaishankar, who will be visiting these countries for the first time since assuming office in 2019, will kick off the trip in Guyana on Apr. 21-23, followed by two days in Panama, another two in Colombia and concluding the visit in the Dominican Republic (Apr. 27-29), according to the authorities.
“The external affairs minister’s visit to these four countries; his bilateral engagements as well as interactions with counterparts of important regional groups (…) adds to the momentum of the India-LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean),” the government said in a press release.
In Georgetown, Jaishankar will meet Guyanese government officials and co-chair a joint commission meeting with his counterpart Hugh Hilton.
He would also use this opportunity to meet with ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) during a meeting of the 15-member Council on Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR).
Later, in Panama, the Indian top diplomat will meet the top government officials along with Panama’s foreign minister Janaina Tewaney Mencomo, and also hold discussions with representatives of the 8-nation Central American Integration System (SICA).
His visit to Colombia would be the first-ever by an Indian foreign minister, during which Jaishankar will meet representatives of the government, companies and civil society.
Similarly, the minister’s Dominican Republic trip is the highest level visit from India since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1999, according to the press release.
New Delhi has also received a significant amount of officials from Latin American governments in recent months as they seek closer ties with the Asian power, with efforts for greater collaboration being highlighted by both sides.
India, which holds the rotating G20 presidency this year, has sought to emerge as a global leader at a time of relative stability and positive outlook for its economy, even as it is set to become the world’s most populated nation. EFE
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