REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR OF INDIA SHRI
ABHISHEK SINGH AT THE B2B/B2G MEETING OF PHARMA COMPANIES OF INDIA AND
VENEZUELA
ON 10 NOVEMBER 2020
Distinguished
participants
Her
Excellency Ms. Coromoto Godoy
Ambassador
of Venezuela to India
His
Excellency Mr. Gerardo Briceno Alviarez, Vice Minister for Health Resources,
Technology and Regulation, Government of Venezuela
Mr.
Manish Singhal, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI
Shri
Arvind Varchaswi, Chair FICCI LAC Regional Council
Ladies
and Gentlemen
It
gives me great pleasure to address the virtual B2B and B2G pharma interaction
between India and Venezuela. In fact,
immediately after my presentation of credentials to His Excellency President
Nicolas Maduro Moros, I have been working to organize the B2B and B2G meeting
between the pharma industries of our countries.
It is not difficult to know why pharma sector has been a priority for
me. We are inmidst of unprecedented
pandemic and the way forward is provided by the pharma industry. While countries are still struggling to find
an acceptable medicine that is valid for the treatment of all COVID-19
patients, we have been collaborating with each other in making this fight
against pandemic truly global. Most
importantly, the world looks forward to the development of vaccine against
COVID-19.
2. India
has been in the forefront of this global collaboration and we have contributed
COVID related medicines and also masks and PPT’s to several countries across
the globe. It was my honour to hand over,
on behalf of the Government of India, 4 tonnes of COVID and other diseases
related medicines to Her Excellency Delcy Rodriguez, Vice President of
Venezuelain August. India has made a
name for itself in the world pharmacy where we provide not only medicines of
highest quality but also at the most affordable cost. India has become, in fact, the ‘pharmacy of
the world’ where reliable medical equipment and medicines are sourced at
competitive prices and high quality.
3. In
context of COVID-19, India has also shown the world that we have one of the
highest rates of recovery and also one of the lowest case fatality rates in the
world. This hasbeen possible due to the
medical infrastructure that we have in India as also the availability of high
quality medical equipments and medicines available in India. It could not have been possible without a
leadership of the Government of India and its collaborative efforts with
various State Governments in India to constantly monitorand evaluate the
situation and finding the best possible solutions to this global problem. I am working closely with the Government of
Venezuela to further consolidate efforts in this fight against coronavirus. We
were happy to share with Venezuelan authorities the list of companies which are
producing medical equipment and medicines for use in the treatment of COVID-19.
4. Today’s
B2B and B2G meeting of the pharma industriesis indeed very timely. I am sure the stakeholders from India and
Venezuela pharma industry will find the occasion to forge partnership and in
case of existing partnerships, to further consolidate them. As in other collaborations, this is not a one
time event but a continuousprocess of cooperation. We at the Embassy of India in Caracas and my
entire team in the Commercial Wing, are at your disposal for any query that you
may have in this regard.
5. To
conclude, I am indeed thankful to FICCI from India and Ministry of Health and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela who helped us to organize this event. Most importantly, I thank the pharma
companies for their participation in today’s event. I look forward to the deliberations of
today’s meeting andhope that there would be engagement with the stakeholders
from both the sides.
6. I
thank you.
*****
