New Delhi: Union Minister of State (MoS) Meenakshi Lekhi concluded her four-nation official visit to Latin America and the Caribbean region on Monday with a bilateral visit to Bolivia, said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. This visit came four years after a State Visit by the President in March 2019, this visit also happens to be Lekhi's first visit to the country.
MoS Lekhi met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Rogelio Mayta, and held detailed discussions ranging from bilateral, regional, and multilateral spheres gamut of relations. During her visit, she also interacted with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamani Machaca and Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration Benjamin Juan Carlos Blanco Ferri.
Issues Discussed On The Bilateral Front
The discussions on the bilateral front concentrated on various matters such as long-term partnerships in the lithium and battery sector, cooperation in the metals and minerals sector, health & pharmaceuticals, traditional systems of medicine, Space, development cooperation & capacity building, promotion of trade and business, energy, infrastructure development in the railway sector, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and ease of business travel, the MEA informed.
In order to further strengthen bilateral engagement and get the desired results, it was decided to take action on a number of issues. Bolivian people were invited bythe Union MoS to make use of the capacity-building assistance provided by India via ITEC, ICCR, SSIFS, and other Specialized Centers of Excellence.
Other Points Of Discussions
Regional issues and opportunities for cooperation were also discussed during the discussions. Views on global issues and developments of mutual interest including reformed multilateralism and climate change were exchanged thoroughly, the ministry informed.
Together with Vice Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani, MoS visited Lake Titicaca as part of efforts to promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of its historical, cultural, and civilisational value. The International Day of Yoga has previously been celebrated on the shores of this revered lake. In addition, MoS spoke with officials and toured the Tiwanaku Archaeological Complex and Museum. As part of development cooperation with Bolivia, the facility was illuminated with the assistance of the Indian government.
The visit to Bolivia shows "the value India places on its ties to the Andean nation and reaffirms its commitment to furthering such ties," the MEA mentioned. India is one of Bolivia's top four international trading partners while the bilateral trade is expanding.
The visit is expected to impart further momentum to expanding ties and help realise the potential in sectors of mutual interest, the statement read