Monrovia – The government of India has “considered” constructing for the people of Liberia a modern multi-complex state of the art conference hall or convention building.
According to a Note Verbale dated January 23, from the Indian Government, in the possession of FrontPageAfrica, the Hall will be named in honor of their late modern founding father, Mr. Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi was an Indian activist who was the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule.
Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
In the Note Verbale, which is a diplomatic correspondence prepared in the third person and unsigned, the Indians said – “The Embassy of India in Abidjan presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia and has the honor to inform that a proposal to build a convention center in the honor Mahatma Gandhi in Liberia under grant assistance is being considered by the Government of India.”
What the Indian Government Wants
However, to get the project off the ground, the Indians, through their Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has asked the Liberian government to honor their side of the bargain.
They want the Liberian government to allocate the land for the construction of the Mahatma Gandhi Convention Center, at no cost to them (Indians).
The Indians also asked from their friends in Liberia, “The details concerning scope and size of the Mahatma Gandhi Convention Center (seating capacity, number of seminar/meeting rooms, associated facilities and services, area).”
They are also asking Liberia to do a concept paper on the proposed center.
“The Embassy of India in Abidjan expresses its readiness to initiate a discussion on the proposal and the above mentioned points and request the esteemed Ministry to facilitate the meetings with the concerned Liberian authorities.”
Indian Delegation
Ahead of this good news, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri (Mr) Mobashar Jawed “M.J.” Akbar, is heading a six-man delegation to Liberia on Thursday, March 1.
Other members of the Indian delegation include Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Liberia, Mr. Raguttahalli Ravindra, Mr. Soumendu Bagchi, Director General, Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. A. Amarnath, Deputy Secretary, Government of India, Mr Upjit Singh Sachdeva, Honorary Consul General of India to Liberia and Abhishek Kumar, Embassy of India, Côte d’Ivoire.
While they are in country, the Indian Delegation will hold bilateral discussions on Friday, March 2, with their Liberian counterparts. Featuring prominently will be the construction of the Center and other projects that the Liberian government might ask from her development partner.
The Honorary Consul General, Mr. Sachdeva, famously known in Liberia as Jeety, is a renowned Indian businessman, who has many businesses across Liberia. He has many Liberians in his employ in his chain of stores.
Inside Source from the Liberian Government
From an anonymous source, the Liberian Government is contemplating on telling its Indian counterpart, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that they want the proposed Mahatma Gandhi Convention Center to be built for the capacity of at least 4000 persons at once.
And it will contain other very important rooms for holding other smaller meetings.
Our source, who is closed to the President’s Office, further stated that the Liberian Government is thinking of telling the Indians to build the facilities on Bushrod Island behind, somewhere behind the Providence Island.
“If that is to be done, than a bridge would have to be built from Crown Hill toward the Center,” our source added.
Foreign Ministry Release
“The Minister of State for External Affairs of the Republic of India is expected to arrive in the country, Thursday, March 1.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, Mr. M.J. Akbar is going to be a guest of the Liberian Government for the duration of his stay in Liberia.
While he is in country, he is expected to hold bilateral discussions with key Liberian government officials.”
Other Supports from Indian Government to Liberia
India is one of Liberia’s true development partners. It has provided many bilateral scholarships for Liberians to travel to that country to study in all minor of disciplines.
These Liberians can be found in all sectors of the Liberian government.
India sent the first all-women police unit of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeeping force to Liberia in 2007, with further batches arriving in the following years.
Following the presentation of his Letters of Credence by Ambassador R. Ravindra in November 2016, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recounted the longstanding Liberia-India relationship culminating in India’s support in the areas education, provision of scholarships to deserving Liberian students at the levels of vocational education, energy and Liberia’s fight against Ebola, of which India was also a part.
President Sirleaf expressed gratitude on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia for the vital support the Government of the Republic of India has over the years provided to the people of Liberia.