By IANS,
New Delhi : The king of Swaziland, a land-locked southern African country, has assured his country’s broad support for India’s bid for membership of the UN Security Council.
The intention to support India’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2011-2012 was conveyed when Swaziland’s King Mswati III met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar at Lozitha Palace Wednesday.
“He was very sympathetic to India’s case for membership of the UNSC,” said the Lok Sabha secretariat in a statement here Friday after Meira Kumar returned from a six-day visit to the African country of a little over than one million people.
The king showed great interest in furthering bilateral ties and expressed his appreciation for all the support India has been providing Swaziland in the area of development cooperation, said the statement.
Meira Kumar was in Swaziland, which is surrounded by South Africa on three sides and shares a border with Mozambique, to attend the executive committee meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Earlier this week, India offered $10 million line of credit to the African country for setting up a science and technology park in Swaziland.
Meira Kumar had assured the leaders of Swaziland of India’s continued support in its development efforts as part of South-South Co-operation.
The aid for science park reflects India’s thrust on human resource development and training in its engagement in Africa.