Kampala [Uganda], October 16 (ANI): Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, met with Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and conveyed the personal greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The meeting focused on further deepening the traditional and multifaceted partnership between India and Uganda.

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Speaking about the meeting, Kirti Vardhan Singh wrote on X, 'Had the honour of calling on Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda and conveying the personal greetings of Prime Minister @narendramodi. Valued his insightful guidance on further deepening the traditional and multifaceted partnership between India and Uganda.'

Singh arrived in Kampala on Wednesday to lead the Indian delegation at the 19th Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held on October 15-16.

On Thursday, Kirti Vardhan Singh reaffirmed India's long-standing commitment to the Palestinian cause and the pursuit of peace in the Middle East during the Meeting of the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine, held on the sidelines of the 19th Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

At the outset, he conveyed India's appreciation to the Chair for convening the meeting and recalled that the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine was first established under India's Presidency during the NAM Summit in New Delhi in 1983.

Reiterating India's consistent position on the developments since October 7, 2023, and the conflict that followed, Singh stated, 'We condemned terrorism and have held that the destruction, despair and suffering of civilians must end; Gaza must have access to food, fuel and other necessities without hindrance; Hostages must be released; and ceasefire must be in place immediately.'

He underlined that India's position on Palestine has always been rooted in historical support for the Palestinian people's rights. 'As one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine, we reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence, and sovereignty,' he noted.

He also shared details of India's recent contributions. 'Since October 2023 alone, India has provided relief assistance of nearly 135 metric tons of medicines and supplies. These direct efforts are bolstered through our financial support for UNRWA to implement projects, particularly in education and health. We contribute USD 5 million annually to the core budget of UNRWA, and projects worth USD 40 million are in the pipeline,' he stated.

Concluding his address, the Minister reiterated India's readiness to contribute constructively to the peace process and its enduring partnership with NAM members. (ANI)