New Delhi, March 24 (NationPress) On Tuesday, India dispatched 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Sierra Leone, aimed at bolstering the country's school midday meal initiative. This act underscores India's dedication to fostering collaboration with nations in the Global South while supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a statement on X, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), remarked, "This is a testament to Global South partnership in action! Today, India has sent 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to assist Sierra Leone’s school midday meal program. This initiative aligns with India’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with Global South countries and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals."

Last March, India and Sierra Leone conducted their second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FoC) in New Delhi, examining bilateral relations across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, health, education, and people-to-people connections.

Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary at the MEA, and Alan CE Logan, Director General of Sierra Leone's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, co-led the meeting.

The MEA highlighted, "India remains dedicated to supporting Sierra Leone in capacity building across various domains, further enhancing our development partnership. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the advancements made on India Stack, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ‘Cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at scale for digital transformation,’ and discussed subsequent steps for implementation in this area."

Both nations also agreed to intensify and diversify their bilateral relations in critical contemporary sectors, including defence cooperation and energy development.

During the discussions, officials exchanged views on significant regional and global challenges, including collaboration in multilateral organizations like the United Nations.

Sierra Leone expressed its intention to support India’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term. They also agreed to hasten the approval process from their government to sign the Agreement on the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and join the Global Biofuels Alliance, as per the MEA statement.

India and Sierra Leone share a long-standing, friendly relationship rooted in mutual values and a shared vision that spans nearly six decades. India is committed to being a dependable partner in Sierra Leone's developmental endeavors through soft loans, scholarships, and capacity-building initiatives, according to the MEA statement. The two countries also collaborate within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks.