New Kolkata chapter of India-South Africa Friendship Association aims to strengthen ties
This initiative is aimed at fostering closer ties between the two nations and promoting trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
While South Africa has its embassy in New Delhi and a consulate in Mumbai, the Kolkata chapter aims to extend this reach into other strategic states.
South Africa High Commissioner to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, said to help promote South Africa in other major states, they thought of launching the India-South Africa Friendship Association.
He said the state of West Bengal, of which Kolkata is a capital is an important growth engine for India.
'We decided that we speak to individuals that are keen to strengthen relations and many have approached the embassy to have some kind of association and some of them proposed the idea of creating a friendship association,' Sooklal said.
Earlier this year, Sooklal attended a conference at the University of Kolkata. During the event, various individuals, community leaders, and business leaders expressed their interest in forming a friendship association to foster stronger relations between the two nations.
He said they worked together and formed an interim committee. He and his deputy, Cedrick Crowley, went to Kolkata last week and met the committee, followed by a formal committee launch.
He said they have a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and about six other committee members.
A launch ceremony was held, attended by approximately 40 guests, including diplomats, consuls general, honorary consuls general from various countries, and business leaders.
'They're very enthusiastic in working with us in promoting trade and investment between our countries, and especially between the state of West Bengal, where they are based,' Sooklal said.
'The idea is to create about three or four of these friendship associations in strategic states in India, where we don't have a physical presence as an embassy or consulate. So this was the first of the Friendship Association, the Kolkata chapter.
'They will also now have their regular meetings, and the mission will help guide them. We are not on the committee. It's an individual, private sector-driven initiative. So we will guide them and work with them, and they will assist us in promoting South Africa in the state of West Bengal, in Kolkata. So it becomes an important entity in helping strengthen relations, not just commercial, but cultural, educational, and people-to-people interaction as well.'
Sooklal said they are well-constituted and enthusiastic about taking forward the work.
He said they have indicated that next year, they will arrange Freedom Day celebrations in April in Kolkata and also celebrate International Mandela Day. They also wish to establish an eye clinic in rural areas through the India-South Africa Friendship Association for social work.
'I think it's something that we as the High Commission welcome, because there's a great deal of enthusiasm,' Sooklal said.
During his first international visit outside of Africa, former president Nelson Mandela travelled to India. He received a tremendous welcome in Kolkata, where a packed Eden Gardens cricket ground greeted him as he thanked the Indian people. This connection highlights the strong bond between India and South Africa.
Kolkata is significant to South Africa as the departure point for indentured Indian labourers in the 1860s, with the second ship leaving a week after the first from Madras (now Chennai). Furthermore, South Africa's first international cricket match after rejoining the International Cricket Council in 1991 was against India at Eden Gardens.
'In many senses, Kolkata has historical relations with South Africa, and therefore the committee was very keen to have some kind of association with the country,' Sooklal said.
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