Vice President Hamid Ansari to leave to Morocco today

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari is today leaving on a 5-day visit to the North African nations of Morocco and Tunisia. During the visit, Mr Ansari will hold deliberations with top leaders of both the countries, with an aim to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new areas of co-operation.

The Vice President will reach Moroccan capital, Rabat this evening and will later meet King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane. He will reach Tunis on Thursday and hold discussions with President Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Habib Essid.

"The Vice President's visit comes as India is seeking to give a fresh fillip to its age old relations with Africa. The visit is taking place close on the heels of the India-Africa Forum summit



held in October last year in Delhi in which heads of government of 54 nations across Africa participated to give a new thrust to the partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the summit, had said that Africa will remain at the centre of India's attention. The Vice President, in this visit, is expected to discuss, with the leaders of both the countries, various issues including terrorism, expansion of United Nations Security Council, investment, ways to strengthen outreach to Africa and regional matters. MoUs are also likely to be signed in a number of fields including education, IT, capacity building and cultural exchange. A series of visits have been lined up by Indian leaders to various countries in Africa in the coming days, this being the first.