PIO High Commissioner of South Africa to India targets doubling trade |
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a seasoned diplomat, a double Ph. D., former G20, BRICS, IBSA sherpa, a well-liked person of Indian origin (PIO) as his emissary to India to scale the relationship between historic and strategic partners. For the first time since independence 30 years ago, South Africa will see a PIO High Commissioner in Prof. Anil Sooklal. He is no stranger to India and well known in South Africa. In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with PIO TV Managing Editor Munish Gupta, Ambassador Sooklal says his immediate task after taking over the reins will be to double bilateral trade, make the South Africa visa regime friendly, streamline operations of High Commission in Delhi and Consulate General in Mumbai, work together with India on multilateral issues, and stimulate the India-Africa corridor for development partnership. Ambassador Sooklal is a proud offspring of indentured labourer from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, in India who came to plough sugarcane plantations, around the same time as Mahatma Gandhi arrived in South Africa. With a cross-cultural background, having fought for freedom with African National Congress, having worked with the revered President Nelson Mandela, ANC President Oliver Tambo and for a long time with President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ambassador Sooklal hopes to hit the ground running, and admits there are high expectations of him. He will ease into his job as he has had the pleasure and privilege of interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, many other Indian Cabinet ministers, top bureaucrats, business and social leaders from both countries. He is a veteran diplomat having served at the UN in New York, European Union, and a short stint in India. Ambassador Sooklal says India and South Africa should broaden and strengthen ties further for multilateral cooperation at WTO and United Nations to benefit the Global South and particularly the African continent. He also said the bilateral relationship and collaboration lacks visibility and media must be involved to play a positive role in highlighting growing India-South Africa collaborations as well as India’s development partnership with Africa.
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