Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
India has handed over a cheque of $10 million yesterday to the Minister of Trade and Industry of Mozambique.
The money is to help the Mozambique authorities urgently purchase wheat from the international market, and thus help ensure availability of food for vulnerable sections of the Mozambique population
Mozambique is home to nearly 20,000 persons of Indian origin, who provide a human link between the populations of both countries.
According to reports, this grant-in-aid was provided in response to a request from the friendly country of Mozambique, which has faced two consecutive years of drought leading to severe difficulties for its people.
India and Mozambique have long had warm and multi-faceted relations. India was among the first countries to open its embassy in Maputo, after Mozambique won its freedom in 1975.
Mozambique is also among the Asian country’s most important economic partners in Africa, and accounts for almost 25 percent of India’s net FDI into Africa.
A statement by the Indian government explained that it sees a closer economic partnership with Mozambique as a vital ingredient in addressing India’s future needs of energy and food security.
Mozambique was the first country in mainland Africa that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited earlier this year.
