Modi leaves SA for Tanzania where he will be meeting 'Solar Mamas'

Johannesburg, July 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his two-day visit to South Africa on Saturday (July 9) and left for Tanzania. Modi, who called his visit to South Africa a "satisfying" one, will land at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam, the largest city of the African country and also an important economic centre of the region.

The PM is in the middle of a four-nation visit in Africa over five days that began with his arrival in Mozambique on July 7. Besides South Africa, Modi visited Mozambique and will wind up his tour with a visit to Kenya.

"Thank you South Africa! A visit filled with the presence of the past & the promise of the future ends as PM departs," tweeted Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

Modi, who had taken part in a number of events in South Africa during his visit---including political and socio-historical, also expressed his pleasure. In a post on the social media, Modi said: "It's been a satisfying South Africa visit, where I have been able to attend such a wide variety of programmes & interact with so many people. This South Africa visit has been a 'Tirth Yatra' for me. Got an opportunity to visit places so closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi. My gratitude to the people & Government of South Africa for extending a warm welcome & the memorable hospitality during my stay here."

Modi to meet Tanzanian Prez to enhance cooperation

In Tanzania, Modi will meet President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli to enhance mutual cooperation on major issues of common interest.

Stressing the importance of Modi's stop in Tanzania, MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha had said while briefing the media in New Delhi on July 4: "On Sunday, we are reaching Tanzania. So, every hour there is a new programme. So you will have to carefully go through this.

Sinha said they were grateful to the Tanzanian government for accepting an official visit on a Sunday.

"Tanzania was not only happy but in fact they were the first off the mark in terms that they immediately said that they would definitely want it and they would not want Indian Prime Minister to just fly over them between Durban and Nairobi. So we have decided that we will stop there and the whole Sunday would be spent there. There are the same elements on the official part. I can tell you what else he is doing there besides the official engagements. He (Modi) is meeting the Indian community," Sinha said.

India focuses on 'Solar Mamas': A move towards strengthening Solar Alliance?

Focussing on the 'Solar Mamas' training programme, Sinha said: "Solar Mamas are these grandmothers from villages who are brought by Barefoot College. He will also be meeting a group of 40 or so of Solar Mamas from different parts of Africa, which Barefoot College has trained. We are also actually funding setting up of one of the Barefoot College centres in Tanzania.

"So, that we thought was a good opportunity for PM to actually see because this connects with our new Solar Alliance, that we already have a cadre of well trained people even at the village level, who are solar technicians, who have already been electrifying villages. So this will actually plug in with the overall initiative in Solar Alliance."

Prime Minister Modi also emphasised on his visit to Tanzania, saying, "On Sunday 10th July, I will be in Tanzania for a brief but crucial visit to give an impetus to ties with Tanzania, a valued friend in Africa.

"There will be extensive talks with President Dr. John Magufuli, where we will chalk out the road ahead for bettering India-Tanzania relations in a wide range of areas. I will also be meeting 'Solar Mamas', a group of rural women solar engineers from Africa, who have been trained under GOI-supported programmes to fabricate, install, use, repair and maintain solar lanterns and household solar lighting systems in their villages," Modi said before starting his second visit to Africa.

Modi's tour will conclude with his visit to Kenya on Monday.

Oneindia News