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5th Annual Konkan Fruit Fest
Promenade, D B Bandodkar Road, Panaji, Goa
16-18, May 2008
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-May/073789.html
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STATEMENT OF SHRI EDUARDO FALEIRO, COMMISSIONER FOR NRI AFFAIRS, AT HIS
PRESS BRIEFING
(May 13, 2008)
I shall be visiting Mozambique and Kenya from May 16-24. During this visit,
I shall meet the Goan community, other communities of Indian origin as well
as Foreign Ministers and other leaders of the two Governments. Goans
migrated in significant numbers to East Africa in the 19th and 20th
centuries. They formed the backbone of the Civil service, Railways and the
educational system in those countries. Some of them clamoured for reforms in
the colonial system and later inspired the movement for total independence
from European rule.
The visit is being organized by our High Commissions in Mozambique and
Kenya. I visited both the countries in 1987 as Minister of State for
External Affairs. Whilst this visit is in my capacity as Commissioner for
NRI Affairs of the Government of Goa, I have been briefed by the Ministry of
External Affairs so that the visit also contributes to advance bilateral
relations between India and those two countries. I shall be accompanied by
the Director for NRI Affairs, Shri U. D. Kamat.
* In Mozambique apart from my meetings with the Goan and other Indian
communities, I shall be meeting the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Science
and Technology and other senior leaders of that country. The number of
persons of Indian origin in Mozambique is estimated at around 20,000
families; about half hold Mozambican nationality whilst the other half have
Portuguese nationality. There are also about 2000 persons who are Indian
nationals. Persons of Goan origin have been in Mozambique for generations
and presently number around 1000 families. They celebrate the Goa Day every
year and invite members of other Indian communities as well as Mozambican
leaders. Our High Commission participates actively in this function.
* The Government of India under its international cooperation programme has
set up several development projects in countries of Africa to empower the
local people. It has offered a Cashew Processing Plant to Mozambique which
has already arrived there. The Plant will be installed by technicians of
HMT, Bangalore. A consortium of RITES and IRCON are working on the
rehabilitation of the Beira Railways. M/S Tata and Mahindra have a
significant presence in the automobile sector in Mozambique. The ESSAR Group
and Jindal Steel are also present there. Some Indian owned companies have
coal concessions in Mozambique. Lines of credit have been extended by the
Government of India for rural electrification, rural sanitation and
Information Technology projects in that country.
* My visit to Kenya will be broadly on the lines of the visit to
Mozambique. Apart from the Goan and other Indian communities, I shall be
meeting the Foreign Minister and some other Ministers of the Kenyan
Government. Kenya held General Elections recently and a new Cabinet was
sworn in earlier this month.
* A large number of persons of Indian origin including Goans, such as the
legendary Pio da Gama Pinto and Joseph Zuzarte Murumbi participated in Kenya's
struggle for Independence. At present, there are about one lakh people of
Indian origin and Indian nationals in Kenya. They play a vital role in
commerce and industry. The Goan community which used to have a fairly
sizeable presence in that country has shrunk to about 500 families. Goans
are mainly in the banking and IT sector. Some are also in business. Like
other people of Indian origin, a large number of them emigrated mainly to
the U.K., US and Canada and acquired British, American or Canadian
nationality or passports. The Goan Gymkhana in Nairobi was established in
1936.
* Students from Kenya come to India regularly for higher education. India
offers 30-40 seats every year in Indian Universities to Kenyan students
since 1964. Under the ICCR scholarship scheme, 15 scholarships for
undergraduate, graduate and research studies are awarded each year. Kenyan
Defence personnel have also been attending senior level Defence training
programmes in India.
* Kenya is a major exporter of agricultural and horticultural products and
there is good scope for cooperation in setting up agro processing industries
in that country. Kenya's tea industry is the world's third largest after
India and Sri Lanka and there is great potential for exports of tea
machinery to Kenya.
(ends)
