Embassy of India

ABIDJAN - COTE D'IVOIRE

Excellency, Vice President Monsieur Daniel Kablan DUNCUN

Excellency Minister of Health & Public Hygiene Dr Eugene Aka

Excellency Mamadou Sanogo Minister of Digital Economy and Post

Excellency Jean Luis Moulot Mayor Grand Bassam

Mr Y S Reddy Chairman Africure Group companies

Mr S B Narohna CEO Africure,

Other Dignitaries and Senior officials from various Ministries

Mr Haridas Kanoth & Anand Hari Africure man on the Ground who has been working hard to make us all to see this day.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Bon Jour, Namaskar, Good morning, Salaam-Alaikum, Vanakum Akwaba.

It is my singular honour and pleasure to be here today celebrating another milestone of India-Cote d’Ivoire cooperation. At the outset let me take this opportunity to thank Vice President HE Monsieur Daniel Kablan Duncun for sparing his time and gracing this ceremony despite his heavy schedules. Thank you, Excellency, for your vision, for your unceasing support which is making a great difference in rapid development of India- Cote d’Ivoire partnership.

Let me express my deep appreciation to Minister of Health & Public Hygiene Dr Eugene Aka who has been working closely with Embassy of India to strengthen our cooperation in this crucial sector of healthcare. We just had a highly successful ‘First Ever India-Cote d’Ivoire Seminar on Healthcare’ sector on 3 March 2020. During which there were very interesting and vibrant Q&As which lasted for almost 2 hours and brought out many areas for possible cooperation.

        I would also like to thank the entire team of VITIB led by H.E Mamadou Sanogo, Hon’ble Minister for digital Economy and Post Mr Philip Pango CEO VITIB for all the facilitation and cooperation to make this inauguration possible.

        Big congratulation to the entire team of Africure for successfully putting up this impressive state of the Art manufacturing facility. This facility is not only Africure but an Ivoirian company which has the potential to be a game changer in this very importantly industry, not only in Cote d’Ivoire but also the entire West Africa especially in Francophone countries. I congratulate the ARICURE leadership for having this vision to bring a sea change in making quality affordable drugs and reach to more wider cross section of the Ivorian population.

 

I would sincerely request Africure team to seek guidance and cooperation of the local authorities toward providing affordable quality drugs to the larger population of the country and in doing so if come across any issue, please do bring it to the notice of embassy and ministry of health, we would be ready to immediately look into the issue and resolve for better our cooperation.

I would also request government of Cote d’Ivoire to consider this facility as their own and extend all possible cooperation to see that it functions properly and successfully. In order to avail full advantage of having the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, I would strongly urge the Minister of Health to seriously look into the possibilities of linking with the national health issuance programme. I am confident such move can result in win-win cooperation.

I must mention here that there is a huge potential for cooperation between India and Cote d’Ivoire in this crucial sector to make our people healthy, strong and wise. You would be aware that two governments are cooperating to build four hospitals in Cote d’Ivoire under Government of India Line of Credit (LOC). (Korhogo, Buoake, Daluo and Abidjan).

India is a major supplier of pharmaceutical products and Cote d’Ivoire import 90% of its drugs from abroad. India has invested heavily in R&D on developing new varieties of affordable drugs and is willing to cooperate with government of Cote d’Ivoire in developing quality drugs to meet the local requirements. I would also urge the Cote d’Ivoire entrepreneurs to look at India for possible cooperation for joint venture, experience sharing to enhance growth in Cote d’Ivoire in this crucial sector. 

Let me reassure you that Embassy of India in Abidjan would support and continue to do whatever is possible to promote India—Cote d’Ivoire partnership.