NEW DELHI: India backed Mahatma Gandhi IT & Biotechnology Park (MGIT-BP) will be launched in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, pushing its development agenda in West Africa Vice President of Cote d’Ivoire Daniel Kablan Duccan would be the Chief Guest at the Inaugural ceremony. MGIT-BP is a dedicated Free Trade Zone (FTZ) for IT & Biotechnology.The MGIT-BP is being built with India’s assistance through EXIM Bank Lines of Credit of $ 20 million.“We have a close and growing development partnership with Cote d'ivoire and this project will take our collaboration into high tech areas,” T S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) MEA told ET. He’s in charge of India’s policy on Africa.The MGIT-BP project consists of two parts firstly, architectural concept & design for the buildings of FTZ and construction of main building to host IT enterprises. Secondly, supply and commissioning of equipment which included, Computer Assembly Plant, VSAT with Satellite Earth Station, Networking Lab, Human DNA Lab, Data Storage Area Network, an Audio-Visual Lab & a Power Generator. The first part of the project was implemented by Shapoorji Pallonji while the second part of the project was implemented by United Telecom Limited (UTL).There has been a significant intensification of our engagement with Cote d’Ivoire over the years and has extended six Lines of Credit aggregating to $ 207.70 million, aimed at building Infrastructure, improving the Ivorian skills and create opportunities.To maintain the momentum in bilateral engagements, Embassy of India in Abidjan in collaboration Exim Bank of India, is organizing "India-Côte d'Ivoire Business Forum" on the sidelines of inaugural ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi IT & Biotechnology Park in Grand Bassam, Cote d'Ivoire on June 27.The MGIT-BP symbolizes the growing and shining example of cooperation between India and Cote d’Ivoire. The MGIT-BP is expected to bring direct benefit to the lives of the people in Cote d’Ivoire, and is also expected to further consolidate our cooperation & bilateral relations.