President Kovind reaches Madagascar

Antananarivo [Madagascar]: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday arrived at the Madagascar capital in the last leg of his five-day two-nation visit.

He was received by Madagascar Prime Minister Oliver Mahafaly Solonandrasana at the Antananarivo airport. The President was accompanied by his wife and the First Lady of India Savita Kovind.

Malagasy children presented President Kovind with flowers. They were also holding the flags of India and Madagascar respectively.

President Kovind then discussed with the Madagascar Prime Minister on further enhancing bilateral ties between the two countries.

He then proceeded to the presidential palace in Antananarivo where he was accorded a guard of honour and called on Madagascar President Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

Madagascar is straddled in the Indian Ocean and alongside the strategic Mozambique channel.

It is also a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The island country is the fourth largest in Africa, in terms of size and is around 300 times bigger than Mauritius. Both Mauritius and Madagascar were erstwhile French colonies.

Madagascar has an incredible biodiversity, boasting of four percent of the world's biodiversity.

It is also rich in natural resources and has large untapped potential resources of sapphire, copper, iron and nickel.

Recently, the island country has discovered oil and is being generated in 19 oil wells.

Madagascar belongs to the group of least developed countries and is aid-dependent, according to the United Nations.