Acting Foreign Minister, Henry B. Fahnbulleh, has commended the government and people of the Republic of India for the bilateral and humanitarian assistance India continues to render the government and people of Liberia.
Minister Fahnbulleh spoke on Monday, March 22, 2021 when the Indian Ambassador accredited to Liberia, H.E. Y.K. Sailas Thangal, with residence in Cote d’Ivoire, paid a courtesy call on him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Receiving the Indian Ambassador, the Acting Minister expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to the people of India for the excellent cooperation with Liberia, and applauded the Indian government for its support toward the country’s development drive.
He added that, with the opening of a diplomatic mission near Monrovia with a resident ambassador in the country, India and Liberia will now deepen their cooperation in other productive areas of engagement.
The acting Foreign Minister assured the Indian envoy of the Foreign Ministry’s unflinching support, that will facilitate and enhance the reopening of the Indian embassy in Monrovia, and that he looks forward to the coming of the new ambassador to help accelerate the new level of engagement.
“With your level of engagement with our development agenda, we are very pleased with our relations with India,” Acting Minister Fahnbulleh noted.
Minister Fahnbulleh particularly hailed India for its support toward the country’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic. “We know you have been very supportive in the area against COVID-19,” he stated.
He also commended the former Honorary Consul General of India to Liberia, Upjit S. Sachdeva (Jeety), for the pivotal role he played in cementing the cooperation between Liberia and India, which led to a number of Indian development assistance to Liberia.
He said Upjit S. Sachdeva (Jeety) has been in Liberia working to ensure that the two countries’ interests are protected.
“We are grateful to him, and want to say on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that our new level of partnership with the new embassy will be strengthened,” Acting Minister Fahnbulleh said.
Earlier, the Indian Ambassador, H.E. Y.K. Sailas Thangal, thanked Acting Minister Fahnbulleh and the Government of Liberia (GOL) for the warm reception accorded him, and hailed the excellent relations and cooperation subsisting between Liberia and his country.
He added that the request by Liberia to open an embassy in Monrovia has been granted, and his country is prepared for an ambassador to be resident near Monrovia.
He expressed confidence that when his country’s new resident ambassador arrives in Liberia the relations between Liberian and India will be cordial and mutually rewarding.
“I am very happy for the Liberia-India relations because the resident ambassador is going to be only after Liberia and Indian relations. I am very sure that the ambassador will be able to fully cultivate our engagements in time,” H.E. Y.K. Sailas Thangal intoned.
The Indian envoy was accompanied by Upjit S. Sachdeva (Jeety), the former Honorary Consul General of India to Liberia. The meeting took place in the Minister’s conference room on the fourth floor of the Foreign Ministry on Capitol Hill.