PM Modi to Be Conferred with GCON During Nigeria Trip

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive the Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger (GCON), one of Nigeria's highest national honours, during his ongoing visit to the country. This will be the 17th international award conferred upon PM Modi, with Queen Elizabeth II being the only other foreign dignitary to have received the GCON in 1969.

PM Modi arrived in Nigeria on Sunday, marking the first stop of his three-nation visit at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This visit is significant as it is the first by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years. Expressing gratitude, PM Modi posted on X, "Thank you Nigeria for the memorable welcome!"

Thank you Nigeria for the memorable welcome! pic.twitter.com/2hneeauHD1

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 17, 2024

President Tinubu also took to X, welcoming PM Modi to Nigeria and sharing his anticipation for their upcoming bilateral discussions, which aim to expand the strategic partnership between the two countries. The discussions will focus on enhancing cooperation across critical sectors.

I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first visit to Nigeria, which is also the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to our dear country since 2007.

Our bilateral discussions will seek to expand the strategic partnership between both countries and…

— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) November 16, 2024

This visit marks PM Modi's first trip to the West African region as part of a five-day tour of Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana. After his visit to Nigeria, PM Modi will travel to Brazil, where he will participate in the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19, as a member of the G20 Troika alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden.

The final leg of PM Modi's trip will take him to Guyana from November 19 to 21. This visit is historic as it marks the first time an Indian prime minister will visit Guyana in over 50 years. During this leg of the tour, PM Modi will be conferred with the Dominica Award of Honour, recognizing his leadership and India's support to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, India provided Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which helped the country extend support to neighbouring Caribbean nations. PM Modi's efforts in healthcare, education, information technology, and promoting climate resilience were key factors in the award's decision. Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit praised PM Modi for his unwavering support and reaffirmed the strong partnership between the two nations.

The India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown will also serve as a platform to discuss future cooperation between India and the Caribbean Community, with a focus on sustainable development and global challenges like climate change.