NEW DELHI: With Africa at the centre of attention in the ongoing debate on expansion of the United Nations Security Council, India has made good its promise to the TEAM-9 initiative and sanctioned the release of $250 million as concessionary credit to seven nations.

A range of projects has been approved for Burkina Faso, Ghana, Chad, Mali, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea. Approval for Guinea Bissau is in the pipeline, South Block sources told this correspondent on Thursday.

During a July 3 meeting of TEAM-9 Foreign Ministers, on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Sirte, Libya, Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh handed over letters to the seven countries, listing specific projects worth $250 million.

India's Exim Bank will get in touch with the Finance Ministries in the West African countries to pursue the approved projects.

In Ghana, India's credit line will be used to build the President's office on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Accra. Another project relates to erection of power transmission lines in rural areas.

For Senegal, a large irrigation project, a mini-integrated steel plant and rolling mill and an information technology project have been approved. India has promised to put in place an IT education system there.

In Equatorial Guinea, New Delhi will help to set up desalination and water treatment plants, construct storage tanks and build water supply lines. In Mali, India will help in setting up power transmission lines and transformers as also a factory to assemble tractors, power tillers and trailers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |