New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Dominica’s highest national award ‘Dominica Award of Honour’ by President Sylvanie Burton on Wednesday for his contributions to the Caribbean nation during the COVID-19 pandemic and also for work done to boost bilateral relations between the two countries.
He was also awarded the highest national award of Guyana ‘The Order of Excellence’.
“Another great moment for India as PM @narendramodi is awarded the highest national award of Guyana, “The Order of Excellence”. Noting PM’s championing of the rights of the Global South and sharing India’s development journey with the world, the award is a true recognition of his visionary leadership,” External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar posted on X.
The Prime Minister is in Guyana on the last leg of his three-nation visit and was awarded during the India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown. Guyana and Barbados will also confer their top awards on PM Modi, raising his tally of international honours to 19.
“Honoured to be conferred with highest national award by Dominica. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India,” he said on X.
PM Modi Dedicates Award To People Of India
“This honour is dedicated to my sisters and brothers of India. It is also indicative of the unbreakable bond between our nations,” PM Modi said in a separate post.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that the highest national award is the recognition of PM Modi’s statesmanship and contribution to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties.
Replying to an X post by Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, PM Modi said, “Your kind words have touched me, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. With deep humility and gratitude, I accept the ‘Dominica Award of Honour’.” “You spoke about the support during COVID-19. It fills my heart with joy to see how our solidarity during COVID-19 strengthened bonds across borders and continents. We will keep working closely with Dominica in the times to come,” he added.
Dominica’s PM Remembers PM Modi’s Contribution During COVID Pandemic
Dominica’s Prime Minister remembered the “darkest days of COVID pandemic” and expressed gratitude to PM Modi’s “generous provision” of vaccines for the people of the country.
“In 2021, during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, your generous provision of 70,000 AstraZeneca vaccines became a lifeline for Dominica,” PM Skerrit said in his post on X.
He said the accolade was more than a symbol: “It is a tribute to your enduring legacy of leadership, your commitment to humanity, and the indelible mark you have left on nations, including ours, far beyond your shores.”
