Nigeria to award PM Modi with Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger, 17th international honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive the Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger (GCON) from Nigeria, one of the country’s highest national honours. This will be the 17th such international award being conferred to PM Modi by a country. Notably, Queen Elizabeth II remains the only foreign dignitary to have received the GCON previously, back in 1969. Nigeria to honour Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its award- The Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger (GCON). Queen Elizabeth is the only foreign dignitary who has been awarded GCON in 1969. This will be the 17th such international award being conferred to PM Modi by a... pic.twitter.com/nOVKGyJr0a — ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2024 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 the first by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years. "Thank you Nigeria for the memorable welcome!" wrote PM Modi in a post on X. Thank you Nigeria for the memorable welcome! pic.twitter.com/2hneeauHD1 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 17, 2024 Modi also responded to a post on X by Tinubu in which the Nigerian president said he looked forward to welcoming the Indian prime minister. "Our bilateral discussions will seek to expand the strategic partnership between both countries and enhance cooperation in critical sectors. Welcome to Nigeria, Prime Minister Modi," Tinubu further said in his post. Thank you, President Tinubu. Landed a short while ago in Nigeria. Grateful for the warm welcome. May this visit deepen the bilateral friendship between our nations. @officialABAT https://t.co/hlRiwj1XnV pic.twitter.com/iVW1Pr60Zi — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 16, 2024 This is Prime Minister Modi's first-ever visit to the West African region. He is on a five-day tour of Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana. After his visit to Nigeria, he will proceed to Brazil. In Brazil, Prime Minister Modi will attend the 19th G20 Summit as a member of the Troika. He will join Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, along with other global leaders, at the summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19. India is part of the G20 Troika, alongside Brazil and South Africa. For the final leg of his trip, Modi will visit Guyana from November 19 to 21 at the invitation of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. This will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Guyana in over 50 years. PM Modi to be conferred with Dominica Award of Honour in Guyana In Guyana, during the India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown, PM Modi will be conferred with the Dominica Award of Honour this month, as announced earlier this week by the government of Dominica. This award was bestowed in appreciation of PM Modi’s support to Dominica, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a statement from the office of the Dominican Prime Minister, PM Modi's leadership was crucial in assisting Dominica with a generous donation of 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in February 2021. This aid enabled Dominica to extend its support to neighbouring Caribbean nations, helping to curb the impact of the global health crisis. The award also acknowledges India’s contributions to Dominica in sectors such as healthcare, education, and information technology. Additionally, Modi’s efforts in promoting climate resilience and sustainable development globally were highlighted as part of the award's recognition. Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit praised Modi as a true partner during the crisis, emphasizing the strengthening of ties between the two nations. He expressed gratitude for India’s unwavering support during a challenging time and reiterated the shared vision of progress and resilience between the two countries. In response, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to continuing its cooperation with Dominica, particularly in addressing global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical tensions. Modi highlighted the importance of international collaboration to foster sustainable development and resilience. The India-CARICOM Summit will be a platform for discussing future cooperation between India and the Caribbean Community, with a focus on enhancing partnerships across multiple sectors. Both President Sylvanie Burton and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica are expected to attend, reflecting the growing bilateral relationship between India and the Caribbean region.