MoS Pabitra Margherita engages in bilateral talks with Eswatini leaders

Mbabane [Eswatini], July 18 (ANI):Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, visited Eswatini, where he engaged in fruitful discussions with King Mswati III and several ministers on Friday, deepening existing ties and exploring new areas of cooperation between the two nations.
During his visit to the African nation, Margherita also met with Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Senator Pholile Shakantu, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mduduzi Matsebula, Minister of Health; Mandla Tshawuka, Minister of Agriculture; and Tambo Gina, Minister of Economic Planning and Development.
Margherita also had fruitful discussions with his Eswatini counterpart across the entire gamut of India-Eswatini bilateral relations, covering key areas of cooperation such as Agriculture, Health, Foreign Affairs, and Economic Development.
The visit served to strengthen and deepen existing ties and also explored new areas of cooperation, taking bilateral relations to a new high.
Notably, Margherita is on an official visit to Eswatini and Lesotho from July 18 to 22, and South Africa from July 23 to 25.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, "The visit will focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade & investment, capacity building, development partnership and people-to-people exchanges."
MoS (PM) will also engage with the Indian diaspora and participate in events highlighting India's development partnership initiatives in Eswatini.
This visit is expected to further enhance the longstanding and friendly relations between India and the Kingdom of Eswatini.
In Lesotho, the MoS (PM) is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on King Letsie III and the Right Honourable Samuel Matekane, Prime Minister of Lesotho.
MoS will also have a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations. He is expected to meet the Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology & Innovation, the Minister of Education & Training, and the Minister of Labour and Employment in Maseru, as per MEA.
This Ministerial visit to Kingdom of Lesotho is being undertaken after a gap of 10 years following the first-ever Ministerial visit from India to Lesotho by Minister of State (IC) Culture, Tourism & MoS for Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma, on 9 July 2015 as Special Envoy of Prime Minister to deliver invitations for the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit to the leadership of the Government of Lesotho.
In South Africa, MoS (PM) will lead a delegation to participate in the upcoming G-20 Development Ministerial Meetings (DMM) on 24-25 July 2025 in Skukuza, South Africa and is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the South African Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Lydia Ramokgopa and other Ministers responsible for Development and Heads of Delegations of other G20 Members, invited countries and International Organizations participating in the DMM, MEA stated.
MoS (PM) is also expected to have bilateral engagements and interactions with prominent leaders of businesses and members of the Indian community in Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa. (ANI)