As part of the international outreach programme for the eighth edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017, a high-level delegation led by Punamchand Parmar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, Government of Gujarat visited Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa from 12th - 14th September, 2016 and Nairobi in Kenya from 15th - 16th September, 2016.
The aim of the visit was to further strengthen the brand India and facilitate meetings with prominent businessmen in South Africa and Kenya to discuss the potential of investments in the countries.
As Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit has seen a transformation from an investment exercise to India's largest growth propelling event, the State Government has put significant impetus on inclusive and sustainable growth. In order to achieve this, the delegation spoke about the strengths of Gujarat, showcased the investment opportunities across various sectors which include Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Tourism, Gems and Jewellery, Agro and food processing and Energy and invited the participants to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017.
"In all our meetings in South Africa and Kenya, we found a significant convergence of mutual interests and a genuine deep-seated desire for closer cooperation. Four MoUs in all have been signed between the Government of Gujarat and chambers of commerce in both the countries to foster the mutual interest in trade and economic development and cultural interaction between both sides. There is an increasing awareness about growing business opportunities, especially in Tourism and Medical Tourism areas. Therefore we expect to have a significant participation from both the countries during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017," said IAS, Punamchand Parmar.
In South Africa, the Government of Gujarat organized road shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Puneet Kundal, the Consul General of India in Cape Town, attended the road show in Cape Town. Dr. S Janakiraman, the Deputy High Commissioner of India to South Africa was present at the road show in Johannesburg.
The delegation met senior government officials from the department of International Relations and Cooperation, Trade and Industry, Tourism and Human Settlements in Pretoria. The delegation also had a series of meetings with the CEO's and the top management of companies such as Old Mutual Properties, WESGRO, Compsol, Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA), Alternative Tourism in South Africa.
In Kenya, the Government of Gujarat along with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) organized a road show in Nairobi. H.E. Suchitra Durai, the High Commissioner of India to Kenya, graced the road show with her presence. She talked about the historical relations between India and Kenya and was pleased about the visit of the delegation from Gujarat. The Deputy High Commissioner of India to Kenya and the National Vice Chairman of KNCCI were also present at the event.
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The delegation met senior government officials from the department of Tourism, Trade and Housing and Urban Development. High profile meetings with ARM Cement Ltd., Abacus Group, Pharmaken, Devki Group, Hindu Council of Kenya, Aslan Adventure Tours and Travel Ltd were also held in Kenya.
It was therefore a remarkable achievement for the Vibrant Gujarat delegation as it received a very positive response, both in South Africa and Kenya.
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