President of Congo Brazzaville in Rwanda for state visit

President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville has arrived in Rwanda for a three-day State Visit.

Upon arrival at the Kigali International Airport, he was received by his counterpart of Rwanda, Paul Kagame for an inspection of Guard of Honor before a closed door meeting between the two Heads of State at Urugwiro Village.

As he received his counterpart, President Kagame was flanked by officials including Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta; Minister in the Office of the President, Uwizeye Judith; Minister of Interior, Alfred Gasana and Minister of Trade and Industry, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze.

Others include, the CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi; Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Republic of Congo, Mutsindashyaka Théoneste; the Mayor of Kigali City, Rubingisa Pudence; Inspector General of Rwanda National Police, CG Felix Namuhoranye and Col Jean Paul Nyirubutama, Deputy Secretary General of National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

N’Guesso was last in Rwanda in 2019 as he attended the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

According to Rwanda’s Presidency, members of both delegations are also expected to join President Kagame and Sassou-Nguesso for bilateral discussion on deepening existing cooperation.

Following the bilateral talks, the Heads of State will witness the signing of an agreement of cooperation on accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

President Kagame and his visiting counterpart will also deliver statements before taking questions from the media.

During his stay in Rwanda, President Sassou-Nguesso will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where he will lay a wreath in honor of the over one million lives lost during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi.

Sassou-Nguesso will then be received by François-Xavier Kalinda, President of Senate and Donatille Mukabalisa, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, at the National Parliamentary building where he will deliver a special address to both Chambers of the Parliament of Rwanda.

Among others, President Kagame will host a State Banquet in honor of his visiting counterpart on the first day.

On Saturday, 22 July, Sassou-Nguesso will visit Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) for a presentation on RICA’s contributions to the advancement of agricultural practices in Rwanda and in Africa.

President Sassou-Nguesso’s visit to Rwanda follows President Kagame’s visit to the Republic of Congo in April 2022, during which a number of agreements on cooperation were signed in various sectors including economic cooperation, trade and cultural exchange.

PM