India attaches great importance to its relations with Gabon, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday, as he met the central African country's top leadership and reiterated the Indian government's commitment to be Gabon's reliable partner in its development journey.
Mr. Naidu arrived in Libreville on Monday on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Gabon, Senegal and Qatar. While Mr. Naidu's visit is the first by any Indian vice president to all three countries, it marks the first-ever high-level visit from India to Gabon and Senegal. ]
The Vice President met President Ali Bongo Ondimba, and during the meeting he said, "India attaches great importance to its relations with Gabon and reiterated the commitment of the Government of India to be Gabon’s reliable partner in its development journey," according to a tweet by the Vice President's Office.
He also met Foreign Minister Moussa-Adamo and they discussed measures for "re-energising" the India-Gabon partnership, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
The Vice President also had a joint meeting with the President of Gabon's National Assembly Faustin Boukoubi and Senate President Lucie Milebou Aubusson.
Mr. Naidu gifted them replicas of the original Indian Constitution and emphasised the importance of shared values of democracy and pluralism in India-Gabon ties, the Vice President's Office tweeted.
He is also expected to interact with the business community in Gabon and address the Indian diaspora.
