New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday had a telephonic conversation with South African and Egyptian Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss the evolving global situation in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Modi and Egyptian President exchanged information about the steps being taken by their respective governments to protect their populations.
“They agreed on the utility of continuous exchange of experiences and best-practices, in order to learn from each other,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
The prime minister assured both the countries that India would provide all possible support to ensure availability of pharmaceutical supplies during these difficult times.
Mr Modi also thanked the Egyptian President for the support being provided to Indian citizens present in Egypt.
The two leaders agreed that their teams would remain in touch to ensure close coordination and experience-sharing, it added.
Mr Modi and South African President exchanged views about the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They discussed the steps being taken by their respective governments to protect the health of their people as well as to minimise economic impacts, it added.
Mr Modi commended the proactive role being played by President Ramaphosa, in his current capacity as the Chair of the African Union, for coordinating a continent-wide response to the pandemic.
Evoking the centuries old ties of friendship and people-to-people exchanges between India and Africa, the prime minister conveyed India’s full support for the joint African effort against the virus.
In keeping with his initiative of forging cooperation and helping international community to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Modi everyday talks with the premier of the two countries.
In the past he had spoken on telephone with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc, counterparts in Japan Shinzo Abe and Nepal KP Sharma Oli, Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of Russia Vladimir V Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman among others.
