New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS): Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday held bilateral meetings held with her counterparts from eight African countries on the sidelines of the ongoing Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IFAS).

"Last bilateral of the day with one of India's oldest friends in Africa, with Foreign Minister of Ghana, Hanna S. Tetteh," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet.

Foreign ministers of India and the African countries held a ministerial meeting on Tuesday as part of the 2015 IAFS.

Addressing the ministerial meeting, Sushma Swaraj made a strong pitch for permanent seats in the UN Security Council for India and Africa.

She then met her counterparts from the western African nations of Cameroon, Ghana and the island nation of Cape Verde, of the north African nation of Tunisia, the southern nations of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the central African nations of Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.