Visit of Minister of State to Colombia

Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, visited Colombia 17-20 January 2010 at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Colombia, Dr. Jaime Bermudez.  This was for a valedictory visit to culminate the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations.

On 19 January, Dr. Tharoor called on President Alvaro Uribe at the Casa de Narino and discussed a wide range of bilateral issues of common interest; he called on Vice President Francisco Santos and discussed the forthcoming visit of the Vice President with a business delegation to India; he called on the President of the House of Representatives of the Colombian Congress, Mr. Edgar Gomez and discussed Parliamentary exchanges and the visit of a Parliamentary delegation to India.  That afternoon, he had wide ranging discussions along with his delegation, with Foreign Minister Bermudez and the Colombian delegation, followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for bilateral Cooperation in the sector of Health and another on cooperation between India’s National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) and Colombia’s vocational training institution, SENA.  This was followed by a press conference and lunch hosted by the Foreign Minister.

That evening, Dr. Tharoor gave a speech on “Colombia and India in Perspective” at the San Carlos Palace – the seat of the Ministry of External Relations – before the Diplomatic Corps, academicians, Friends of India and others followed by a reception hosted by the Ministry of External Relations of Colombia.

On 18 January, Dr. Tharoor met with the Indian community in Colombia, Indian and Colombian businessmen and Friends of India at a reception hosted by the Ambassador of India.  Dr. Tharoor addressed the gathering and handed over a contribution by the Government of India to the newly formed Association of Friends of India.  He also had a separate meeting with academicians who had contributed to the book “Colombia and India in Perspective”.  After this, he had a dinner with select invitees of the Colombia-India Chamber of Commerce at which Colombian Vice Ministers of Commerce and Health were also present.
The visit was very well received in Colombia and widely reported.

Press Report 1 Presidency of the Republic
Press Report 2 Presidency of the Republic
Press report El Tiempo
Press report Colombian Chancery 1
Press report Colombian Chancery 2
Press report Colombian Chancery 3
Press report Semana
Joint Statement Governments of India and Colombia

Reception hosted by the Ambassador after his speech. Dr. Tharoor had also a separate meeting
with academicians who had contributed to the book "India and Colombia in perspective".

Dr. Tharoor giving a conference on " Colombia and India in perspective"

Minister of State Dr. Shashi Tharoor meeting contributors to the book "Colombia and India in
Perspective".

MOS signing the Agreement.