External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met a parliamentary delegation from Liberia in New Delhi on Tuesday, emphasizing India’s commitment to expanding cooperation with countries across the Global South. The Liberian lawmakers are in India as part of a peer-learning program focused on sharing development experiences and policy practices.
The delegation includes members of Liberia’s Senate and House of Representatives, along with representatives from the country’s Women’s Legislative Caucus. It is being led by Ellen-Attoh Wreh, with officials from UN Women also participating in the visit.
During the meeting, Jaishankar discussed several Indian government programs that have been developed to improve financial inclusion, social protection, livelihoods and access to basic services. The Indian initiatives highlighted during the exchange included the Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission.
The discussions also covered Mission Amrit Sarovar and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, giving the Liberian delegation an opportunity to examine approaches India has adopted in areas such as community development, social welfare and women’s empowerment.
Jaishankar described the engagement as an opportunity to exchange perspectives and reaffirmed India’s interest in building stronger partnerships among developing nations. The interaction reflects New Delhi’s broader focus on South-South cooperation, through which countries of the Global South share knowledge, experiences and practical solutions to common development challenges.
The Liberian delegation is visiting India from August 10 to 15 as part of a South-South Peer Learning Mission. The program is being organized with support from UN Women and funded through the India, Brazil and South Africa Fund, with contributions from the governments of India, Brazil and South Africa. The fund is administered by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi also met the delegation. She outlined India’s approach to women-led development and discussed policies aimed at increasing women’s participation in economic, political and community decision-making.
The ministry highlighted India’s efforts in areas including political representation, gender-responsive governance, budgeting, responses to violence against women, the care economy and women’s leadership in local institutions.
The two sides exchanged views on areas of common interest and expressed an intention to expand bilateral engagement through the South-South cooperation framework. The visit provides Liberia with an opportunity to study Indian development models while giving both countries a platform to strengthen long-term collaboration.
