Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday delivered a joint session of the Parliament of Ethiopia. He has so far addressed 18th parliaments world over.
Hailing Ethiopia the ‘land of lions’, PM Modi said he felt at home in the country, drawing a parallel with his home state, Gujarat, also home to lions.
Significant impacts from PM Modi’s Ethiopia visit:
He said “It’s been a moment of great privilege for him to stand before all today. He feels honoured to be in Ethiopia, temple of democracy, in the heart of a nation with ancient wisdom and modern aspirations.
The Prime Minister also said that he carried with him the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians and expressed deep respect for Ethiopia’s Parliament, people and democratic journey.
Adding that in this great building, the will of the people becomes the will of the state. When the wheel of the state moves in harmony with the wheel of the people, the wheel of progress moves forward with hope and purpose.
PM Modi also thanked Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for conferring on him the Grand Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, the country’s highest civilian award.
He said that he accepts this honour with folded hands and humility on behalf of the people of India.
Unfolding Ethiopia as one of the world’s oldest civilisations, the Prime Minister said history lives on in its mountains, valleys and in the hearts of its people. He also highlighted a cultural link, noting that both India’s national song, Vande Mataram and Ethiopia’s national anthem refer to the land as “mother”.
He went on to add that We too are an ancient civilisation, walking confidently into the future, guided by the call of ‘Sabka saath, Sabka vikas, Sabka prayas’. Our emotions for our motherland also reflect our shared perspective. India’s song Vande Mataram and the Ethiopian national anthem both refer to the land as mother.They inspire us to take pride in our cultural heritage and to protect the motherland.
The address came a day in the aftermath of his wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, amidst which India and Ethiopia elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. The discussions focused on cooperation in food and health security, capacity building, Digital Public Infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, medical tourism, energy and critical minerals.
When the wheel of the state moves in harmony with the wheel of the people, the wheel of progress moves forward with hope and purpose.
At a banquet hosted in his honour on Tuesday, Ethiopian singers rendered Vande Mataram, a moment PM Modi described as deeply moving, especially as India marks 150 years of the national song.
News Edit KV Raman
