India and the West African nation Benin have inked a key pact to boost bilateral ties and set up a joint commission to deepen multi-sectoral co-operation to consolidate their trade relations.
Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor, who ended his three-day visit here, yesterday signed a bilateral agreement — covering political, economic, scientific, technical and cultural co-operation — with his counterpart Jean Marie Ehouzou.
The two ministers also signed the minutes of the first meeting of the joint commission set up to boost multi-sectoral bilateral co-operation to expand and consolidate their trade ties.
Tharoor also flagged-off a Benin railways train with Indian locomotive. He also met with Beninois President Boni Yayi, who expressed his gratitude to India for making efforts to boost bilateral cooperations.
"The economic operators of both sides need to take encouragement from the current bilateral trade and take steps to expand and consolidate. There is good possibility of increasing the bilateral trade along the existing areas," Tharoor said.
Benin's exports to India has grown consistently making it the third largest market with $106 million for financial year ended March 31, 2009 while Indian exports to the West African country stands at $203 million for the same period.
Tharoor, while inaugurating the first joint commission meeting between the two countries, also suggested new areas of cooperation like transportation, pharmaceutical, ICT, telecom, rural development, small and medium industries, agriculture and agro-based industry and human resource development.
"Benin's strategic economic location at the cross road of both coastal West Africa and Central Africa hinterland makes it a strategic base for supply and local manufacturing to such diversified markets as ECOWAS and Francophone Central Africa," the minister said.
Benin pledged its support to New Delhi's bid for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
India and Benin signed five agreements covering small-scale industries, cultural and scientific cooperation and diplomatic exchange.
