2023-04-17 13:21:00
The President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame paid a state visit to Benin on April 14 and 15, 2023. It was at the invitation of his counterpart in Benin, President Patrice Talon. The host was accompanied by a strong delegation and his wife Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame.
During the one-on-one meeting of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, the Beninese president and his host discussed several subjects of common interest. At the end of the exchanges, a working session brought together the members of the two delegations. It resulted in important decisions, including the holding in Cotonou, before the end of 2023, of the second session of the Benin-Rwanda Joint Commission for Cooperation, with a view to monitoring issues of common interest. Indeed, the two Heads of State welcomed the quality of the relations of friendship and cooperation that exist between Benin and Rwanda. They underlined the regularity of political consultations between the two countries as well as the richness of their strategic partnership, particularly in the fields of security and defence, the economy and research, and reaffirmed their determination to work for its strengthening for the benefit of both Peoples. The two Heads of State agreed on the signing, between the two countries, of legal instruments in the areas of avoidance of double taxation, agriculture; digital ; local governance; Sustainable development; military cooperation; trade and industrial cooperation; tourism ; and investment promotion. The terrorist threat in the Sahel and its extension to the coastal countries of West Africa also worried Patrice Talon and his host. On this, the quality of military cooperation between the two countries was praised. The two Heads of State are committed to strengthening it, for everyone’s safety. In this regard, questioned by the press, President Patrice Talon clarified: “Military cooperation between Benin and Rwanda is limitless and can go, if necessary, in joint deployments. But I know that before long the situation in the north of our country will be completely under control so that we will not need to come to this”. President Paul Kagame, for his part, praised the leadership of President Patrice Talon as well as the efforts of the Government of Benin in the implementation of a multisectoral response adapted to this phenomenon. As for the management of skills and human resources, the two Presidents also welcomed the existence between the two countries of a mechanism for technical cooperation and exchanges of specialized executives which has already enabled experts from each country to be deployed in the other, because of their expertise and know-how. Regarding the presence of Rwandans in positions of high responsibility in Benin, the two Heads of State are not at all complexed. Paul Kagame made a point of expressing his admiration for Patrice Talon, whose reforms he hailed to make Benin a place of choice for innovation and research. He praised its determination to invest in the development of human capital and the knowledge economy, in order to achieve growth and create qualified jobs. They then exchanged their views on the opportunities offered to African countries within the framework of the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAf). The tete-a-tete was followed by a joint press briefing. President Paul Kagame and his delegation then visited the facilities of the Sèmè-City Development Agency where President Paul Kagame spoke to young entrepreneurs, students and start-up managers on African youth leadership and the future of the Continent. In return, Paul Kagame invited his counterpart, President Patrice Talon, to pay a visit to Rwanda soon.
B.W.
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