Sunday, Sep 12, 2004
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India & World
By Vinay Kumar
The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, admires a Tanzanian tribal dancer on his arrival at the Dar-es-Salaam International Airport on Saturday. Mr. Kalam is in the country for a four-day State visit and is scheduled to tour South Africa before returning home. — AP
DAR-ES-SALAAM, SEPT. 11. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, arrived here today to a traditional and warm welcome. He was received at the airport by his Tanzanian counterpart, Benjamin William Mkapa. Prof. Kalam was greeted by schoolchildren, waving Indian and Tanzanian flags. He inspected a ceremonial guard of honour as a 21-gun salute boomed in the background.
Ceremonial welcome
After the ceremonial welcome at the airport, as the Presidential motorcade wheeled out in the city, speeding through the streets of the well-laid out city, men, women and children were present in large numbers lining the streets and waving to the visiting dignitary. At several spots and roundabouts, Tanzanians were even breaking into spontaneous dances and music performances. The nearly 10-km drive to Hotel Royal Palm was dotted by people lining the two sides of the streets as police and security personnel kept vigil. During his four-day stay in Tanzania, the President is scheduled to visit Zanzibar for a day, interact with prominent personalities, meet schoolchildren and address the highly respected Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation. He is also scheduled to address the faculty members and students of the University of Dar-es-Salaam and also meet the Indian community.
`Traditional allies'
Speaking to newspersons on board the special Air India aircraft, Prof. Kalam said his visit to Tanzania and South Africa represented India's old, traditional friendly ties with the two countries. "It also represents our interest in Africa, its people and history and geo-politics. It is also a return visit on my part.'' It was clear that the President has spent hours on the Internet, scanning through subjects of his Africa-centric interests and was fully prepared for the visit, indicating that he would not be only confined to banquets and speeches. Preferring to use "partnership'' instead of "help'', Prof. Kalam said India was keen to assist Tanzania in the areas of healthcare, particularly the fight against HIV/AIDS and education.
Anti-HIV vaccine
He told reporters that India was gearing up to launch an anti-HIV vaccine within two to three years. "We want to be partners with African nations in the health sector. We also want to arrest the further spread of HIV.'' The President's stress on scientific and medical areas and India's partnership in these sectors with African countries is clear from the fact that three eminent scientists are also part of the official delegation. They are N. Balakrishnan of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, A.S. Pillai of the Defence Research and Development Organisation who is also heading the Indo-Soviet Brahmos project and Y.S. Rajan. Three MPs — Mehbooba Mufti, Bimal Jalan and H.T. Sangliana — as well as Meira Kumar, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, are also part of the delegation.
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