India’s new non-resident High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, H.E. Mr Nagendra Kumar Saxena has presented his Letter of Credence to the Governor General, H.E. Sir Frank Ofagioro Kabui at Government House, Thursday.
High Commissioner Saxena was appointed by the President of India, His Excellency, Shri Kumar Mukherjee, as the non-resident High Commissioner to Solomon Islands with full powers to represent his country in Solomon Islands.
In welcoming High Commissioner Saxena on Thursday, Sir Frank recalled that Solomon Islands and India have been friends since 1987, a period of 29 years.
“We have shared common ground on many issues at the international level such as the rule of law, human rights, security, climate change, the environment, education and so on,” Sir Frank said.
India is a huge country in terms of population and landmass with enormous resources while at the same time it is a member of the Commonwealth as well as of the United Nations and is considered one of the biggest democracies in the world today.
Sir Frank said India enjoys a vibrant economy and its volume in trade is enormous and it is a champion for the rule of law, human rights and for other issues on many fronts.
India’s multilateral and bilateral programs are appreciated by Solomon Islands which include Short term training courses under the India Technical and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) in developing Solomon Islands human resources capacity.
“There is much we can learn from India’s experiences on many fronts. India has got it all. We are looking forward to continuing and strengthening our relationship for the mutual benefits of our peoples,” Sir Frank said.
Meanwhile, High Commissioner Saxena said he was deeply honoured to be accepted to represent his country in Solomon Islands and pledges to further enhance the existing warm and cordial relations between the two countries.
“The mandate given to me is clear and unequivocal and we have to build on the existing foundation of goodwill and transform the existing relationship into a sustainable, vibrant and ever growing commercial and economic one – centering on increased trade, development cooperation and multi-faceted cooperation in health, education, agriculture, Information Communications Technology,” the High Commissioner said.
High Commissioner Saxena said it is important to seize the opportunity for both countries to explore avenues of enhancing cooperation in areas of exploration of hydrocarbons, extraction of mineral resources and cooperation for sustainable development of marine and aquatic resources in Solomon Islands.
High Commissioner Saxena is based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
– Government Communications Unit
