Envoys of Eleven Nations Present Credentials to President of India

Eleven envoys presented their credentials to the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The envoys who presented their credentials were: - His Excellency Mr. Oyebola Kuku, the High Commissioner of Nigeria, His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Goshin, the Ambassador of Belarus, His Excellency Mr. Sainy Tiemele, The Ambassador of Cote d'Ivoire, His Excellency Mr. Gaston Stronck, the Ambassador of Luxembourg, His Excellency Dr. Janos Terenyi, the Ambassador of Hungary, His Excellency Mr. Yogesh Karan, the High Commissioner of Fiji, His Excellency Mr. Tarek Azouz, the Ambassador of Tunisia, His Excellency Mr. Abelardo Rafael Cueto Sosa, the Ambassador of Cuba, His Excellency Mr. Slobodan Tashoski, the Ambassador of Macedonia, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Assad oglu Hajiyev, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan and His Excellency Mr. Francois Richier, the Ambassador of France.

Welcoming the envoys the President said that India is a large country and the world's largest democracy, as well as one of the fastest growing economies of the world. She stated that India is working for greater growth to meet the aspirations of its people and is committed to inclusive growth. The President mentioned that to fulfill these aspirations, it is expanding its social infrastructure particularly education, skill building and health, as well as putting into place extensive physical infrastructure over the next five years, with an investment of over US Dollar one trillion. A growing India will expand opportunities for the global economy as well, the President emphasized. India also seeks to enlarge economic engagement with other countries for peace, progress and development. Speaking about global governance structures, the President said India has all the credentials for its legitimate aspiration to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. She also emphasized that reforms in international bodies must be taken up, so that they reflect contemporary realities as well as to make them more credible and effective.

The credential presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members of the Missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This release issued at 1330 hrs.