Jaishankar inaugurates convention centre in Niger dedicated to Gandhi

A $56-million convention centre dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the first such structure established in Africa by India, has been inaugurated in Niger by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou.

The Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) is a “landmark for India-Niger friendship” and a “symbol of India’s firm commitment towards Africa”, the external affairs ministry said.

The MGICC is also the first centre to be built in Africa by India to honour the memory of Gandhi, whose 150th birth anniversary was observed last year.

Jaishankar visited Niger during January 20-21 as part of his outreach to Africa. He met his counterpart Kalla Ankourao, Issoufou and Prime Minister Brigi Rafini on Tuesday and discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

The visit was also a “reiteration of the importance India attaches to its relations Niger and with other countries in the Sahel”, the ministry said.

Bilateral relations have expanded in recent years and India has provided lines of credit to Niger for projects in transportation, electrification, solar energy and potable drinking water. Several hundred officials from Niger have been trained by India under the ITEC programme and India has extended aid to Niger for organising the African Union (AU) Summit held in Niamey in 2019.

The MGICC is a spacious and eco-friendly facility, including a plenary hall with a capacity of 2,000, that will be used for AU events and high level conventions. The centre was built in 13 months by Shapoorji Pallonji Private Limited. State-run NBCC was the management consultant for the project.

India provided grant assistance of $35.48 million for the centre and the rest of the funding came from the Niger government.

Jaishankar, the first Indian foreign minister to visit Niger, will also travel to Tunisia during his three-day trip.