Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan will pay an official visit to the Republic of Djibouti on 21-22 September 2022. This will be his first visit to the country.

1. During the visit, MoS will call on the Prime Minister of Djibouti H.E. Mr. Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed and will hold talks with Foreign Minister Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and other dignitaries on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. He will also interact with the Indian community in Djibouti.

2. During the visit, an Agreement on exemption from visa requirement for holders of Diplomatic & Official/Service Passports; and MoU between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS) and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies (IDS) of Djibouti will also be signed.

3. India and Djibouti share warm and friendly relations underpinned by historical and cultural linkages. Djibouti had extended extraordinary support in the evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Yemen in 2015 (Operation Rahat). Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the then President of India, paid a State Visit to Djibouti in October 2017. India opened Mission in Djibouti in 2019. Bilateral trade between the two countries was valued at US$ 755 million in 2021-22. A sizeable Indian community is living in Djibouti.

4. The visit is expected to provide further momentum to the bilateral ties between India and Djibouti.