Guinea-Bissau–India relations

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Guinea-Bissau–India relations
Map indicating locations of Guinea-Bissau and India

Guinea-Bissau
India

Guinea-Bissau–India relations refers to the international relations that exist between Guinea-Bissau and India. The embassy of India in Dakar, Senegal is concurrently accredited to Guinea-Bissau.[1] India opened an Honorary Consulate in Bissau on 28 May 2010.[2] Guinea-Bissau has no diplomatic mission in India.[3][4]

The prime minister of the transitional government of Guinea-Bissau,

third India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi. Vaz accepted the invitation and in October 2015, became the first Bissau-Guinean head of state to visit India.[3] He held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 30 October 2015.[8] Vaz was accompanied by a delegation that included Foreign Minister Artur Antonio da Silva.[3] Silva participated in the India-Africa foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi along with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and several African Foreign Ministers.[9]

Guinea-Bissau and India were among the first 19 countries to join the International Solar Alliance, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 15 November 2016.[10]

Trade

India is an important trade partner of Guinea-Bissau, and was Guinea-Bissau's largest destination for exports in 2010 and 2011.[11] Guinea-Bissau is the world's fourth largest exporter of cashew nuts, and the sector accounts for 90% of the country's income and employs over 80% of its labour force making it vital to its economy.[12] India is the largest importer of unprocessed cashews from Guinea-Bissau, importing over 90% of the country's annual cashew exports.[13][14][15] Almost 98% of the cashew crop is exported to India for processing.[16] Since 2011, India has increased its domestic cashew production and reduced imports from Guinea-Bissau. India's decision to slash imports of cashews in 2012 resulted in a cashew nut export crisis in Guinea-Bissau.[17]

Bilateral trade between Guinea-Bissau and India totaled US$212.64 million in 2015–16, recording a growth of 26.46% over the previous fiscal. India exported $14.47 million worth of goods to Guinea-Bissau, and imported $198.17 million.[3]

The Indian defence industry has supplied patrol boats to Guinea-Bissau.[18]

In May 2008, India offered to provide Guinea-Bissau unilateral duty free tariff preferential (DFTP) market access for export of goods and services.[2]

Foreign aid

Under India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum’s “Poverty Alleviation Funding Facility”, an Indian expert visited Guinea-Bissau in early 2006 to help the country in rice cultivation, and an Indian team of experts visited to assist in a solar power project.[3]

Guinea-Bissau is a founding member of the TEAM-9 initiative.[19] Under TEAM-9, the Indian government has provided the country with a line of credit worth $25 million, which includes a $5 million line of credit for the food processing and agricultural sector and $20 million for rural electrification projects. IBSA Trust Fund Board approved a sum of $830,000 in February 2009 for renewable energy and agricultural capacity building in Guinea Bissau.[3]

Citizens of Guinea-Bissau are eligible for scholarships under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.[3][20] Five Bissau-Guinean women from rural regions attended training at Barefoot College in Tilonia, Rajasthan in 2009. After completing their course, they returned to Guinea-Bissau and successfully installed solar energy facilities in their villages.[7]

Indians in Guinea-Bissau

As of December 2016, around 100 Indians reside in Guinea-Bissau on a long-term basis. About 40-50 Indians visit the country annually during cashew season, staying in the country for a few weeks to negotiate, purchase and ship consignments of raw cashew to India.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Talk on US-India Relations by Consul General of India". Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b "India-Guinea Bissau Bilateral Relations". Embassy of India, Dakar. Archived from the original on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "India-Guinea Bissau Relations" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs. December 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Consulate of India in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau". Embassy Pages. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Indian firms must grab African opportunity: Guinea-Bissau premier". Daijiworld. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  6. ^ "9th CII EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership" (PDF). CII Africa Conclave. 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  7. ^ a b "India-Guinea Bissau Relations" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs. July 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Modi holds bilaterals with 41 visiting African leaders - The Peninsula Qatar". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  9. ^ Roche, Elizabeth (2015-10-27). "Sushma Swaraj calls for UNSC seat for India, Africa". Mint. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  10. ^ IANS (2016-11-17). "19 countries sign up for solar alliance". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  11. ^ LUNDY, BRANDON D. (1 October 2012). "The Lukewarm Response from the International Community to the Crises in Guinea-Bissau". E-International Relations. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Guinea Bissau coup set to halve cashew production - UN | News by Country | Reuters". af.reuters.com. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  13. ^ "Falling cashew exports raise hardship". IRIN. 2012-08-15. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  14. ^ "Guinea Bissau faces problems distributing cashew nut production". Macauhub. 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  15. ISBN 9781475829037
    . Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Explained: This is India's trade footprint in Africa". The Indian Express. 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  17. ^ "How India ruined an African country". Hindustan Times. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  18. ISBN 9780826434012
    . Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  19. ^ "Team 9 Opens A New Innings In India-West Africa Relations". The Financial Express. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  20. ^ "Africa Scholarships". Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
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