Following recent incidents of violence against African nationals, the Ministry of External Affairs has begun an outreach programme and a series of confidence building measures. Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh will travel to all metro cities to initiate sensitisation programmes for both local population and African nationals.
The sensitisation programmes will take place in association with the African embassies in India. All African embassies have been asked to give MEA the list of cities having higher population of their nationals. To begin with VK Singh will travel to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Goa and later on to all other metro cities. Singh will be accompanied by the African envoys.
“Since law and order is a state subjects the sensitisation programme will take place in close association with the local Governments, police and communities both of Indians and Africans,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday.
Sources in MEA said that similar efforts were made in Bengaluru following an attack on Tanzanian nationals and the situation was found to be better there now. MEA will also from time to time conduct a review of such programme to see its effectiveness.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had recently assured African envoys about Government’s effort to prevent any attacks and denied the recent cases of violence against them was racial attack.
The MEA will also set up mechanism to address other logistical problems faced by African students such as visas, finding accommodation etc.