Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita who is on a visit to Tonga has emphasised India's strong commitment to partnering with the Pacific Islands countries to address the challenges and aspirations of the Pacific community.
"As part of our continuous solidarity with our Pacific Partner Countries and the Pacific Islands Forum, I am pleased to announce that Government of India will undertake one Quick Impact Project or QIP of each country's choice worth USD 50,000 in each of the 14 Pacific Island Countries. We will be happy to receive proposals in this regard from the respective countries," Margherita said.
The Union MoS for External Affairs was addressing the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Dialogue Partners Session in Nuku`alofa the captial city of Tonga, which is hosting the PIF.
Margherita reaffirmed India's strong commitment to work closely with Pacific partner countries and the Pacific Islands Forum, as the foremost regional mechanism, in line with the priorities outlined in the 2050 Strategy to help build a stronger, more resilient and prosperous Blue Pacific Continent.
India's bilateral development partnership in the form of grant-in-aid projects is worth about USD 3 million per annum. These are demand-driven and have had high impact in the 14 Pacific partner countries.
The minister said that India's approach to the Blue Pacific Continent is based in its ancient philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" or the 'World is one Family'.
Later, taking to a post on social media platform X on Thursday the MoS said, “Addressed the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders PIFLM53 Dialogue with Forum Partners today in Nuku'alofa. Emphasized India's strong commitment to partner the Pacific Islands Countries to address the challenges & aspirations of the Pacific Community.”
India's multifaceted engagement with the Blue Pacific Continent is anchored in its 'Act East' Policy and is strengthened both bilaterally and through different mechanisms such as the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
At the 3rd FIPIC Summit held in Papua New Guinea last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 12 Point Action Plan, which includes the setting up of a 100-bedded regional Super-specialty Hospital in Suva, Fiji, a Regional IT and Cyber Security Training Hub in Papua New Guinea, 1,000 Scholarships over the next five years, supply of Dialysis Units, and Generic Medicine Pharmacy outlets.
"The countries in the Pacific have benefited from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund which supports demand-driven sustainable development projects such as the Parametric Microinsurance project in Fiji, construction of water cistern in Tuvalu and solarisation of the Langafonua building of Tonga's National Council for Women which will be commissioned on August 30," the Mos said.
The 3rd Voice of the Global South Summit (VOGSS) that was held earlier this month with the overarching theme of "An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future" saw participation by over 120 countries including many PIF members who provided valuable inputs.
The MoS stated that India is committed to responding to the vulnerabilities caused by natural hazards in the Pacific region.
India has shared its concern regarding threat posed by climate change and rising sea level and has successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-a-vis its GDP by 33 per cent between 2005 and 2019, thus achieving the initial Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) target for 2030, 11 years ahead of the scheduled time, the minister said.
India leads a number of global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Green Grids Initiative -- One Sun, One World, One Grid, the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Global Biofuel Alliance which benefit its Pacific partners. (ANI)
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