India, Benin sign 4 documents during Pres Kovind's visit

Cotonou: India and Benin on Monday signed four agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) during President Ram Nath Kovind's official state visit to the Western African country.

The four documents include a Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Benin for the years 2019-2023. It also includes an agreement on the mutual exemption from visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, official/service passports.

Two MoUs were also signed, including an MoU in the field of export credit and investment insurance, and another on the e-VBAB network project, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Kovind is currently on the first leg of his three-state visit to Africa, having reached the port city of Cotonou in Benin on Sunday.

He was accorded a ceremonial welcome by his Beninese counterpart Patrice Talon on Monday, following which the two sides held a bilateral meeting.

During the meeting, Kovind thanked Talon for expressing his support for India's permanent membership at the UN Security Council. India also offered a fresh line of credit amounting to USD 100 million to Benin to finance development projects.

"India's transformative growth and Benin's natural strengths complement each other," Kovind had said during a joint press conference with Talon following the meeting.

Bilateral trade between India and Benin has risen from USD 350 million to more than USD 800 million in the last decade. With this, India has become Benin's largest trading partner.