India sending humanitarian aid to drought-hit Madagascar

New Delhi, March 1: India is sending a consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice and 100,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets to Madagascar in response to the east African country’s appeal for assistance to deal with a humanitarian crisis triggered by a severe drought, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.
The humanitarian assistance is being delivered on-board Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa, which will leave with the food and medical assistance on March 3 and is expected to reach the Port of Ehoala in Madagascar between March 21 and 24, 2021, the MEA said in a statement.
The prompt Indian assistance to the Madagascar government was conveyed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a phone conversation with Madagascar’s Foreign Minister Tehindrazanarivelo Djacoba A S Oliva, the MEA said.
“Good conversation with FM of Madagascar @Tehindrazanari1. Informed him that Indian humanitarian assistance would be delivered in the coming days. Will include food and medical supplies,” Jaishankar tweeted after the call.
During the phone conversation, Jaishankar recalled the excellent bilateral ties of friendship between India and Madagascar, and that India has always been among the first responders when it comes to assisting the people of Madagascar in such humanitarian crises.
In response to the urgent appeal made by Madagascar for international solidarity and assistance to deal with the humanitarian crisis in South of Madagascar due to severe drought, the government is sending a consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of rice and 100,000 tablets of HCQ to Madagascar, the MEA said.
In September 2018, a consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice was delivered on-board an Indian naval vessel to Madagascar. Indian Navy was the first to respond when Cyclone Diane struck Madagascar. In March 2020, INS Shardul visited the port of Antisiranana and delivered 600 tonnes of rice as HADR assistance to Madagascar from India for dealing with heavy floods.
Jaishankar assured his counterpart from Madagascar that as a maritime neighbour across the Indian Ocean, the government and people of Madagascar can always count on the support and solidarity of the government and people of India. (PTI)