Kigali, 06 July 2019 - At the invitation of His Excellency, Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, attended the 25th Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Struggle on July 4th, 2019, followed by a working visit to Rwanda, from 5th – 6th July, 2019. His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio was accompanied by a High-Level delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Minister of Finance, and other Senior Government Officials.

The Visit was a special occasion to celebrate with the Rwandan people, 25 years of a transformational journey by the country, following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. President Maada Bio used the opportunity to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, and lay a wreath at the final resting place of more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide.

In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the two Heads of State held official talks in the Office of the President, on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues. They reiterated their common commitment to further strengthen their cooperation.

In light of the above, a General Cooperation Agreement (GCA); a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations; and an Agreement on Visa Exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports were signed during the Visit. The GCA covers multiple areas, including Defense and Security; Education and Scientific Research; Health; Agriculture; Information and Communication Technology; Air Transport; Tourism; Culture and Youth; Financial Services; Trade and Investment, and the Environment.

On continental peace and security, the two Heads of State welcomed the signing of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic last February, while expressing concerns about challenges currently facing Sudan, Somalia, Libya and the Sahel region. They noted the increased commitment of African countries to stabilize the continent, including through a stronger capitalization of the AU Peace Fund.

President Paul Kagame thanked President Julius Maada Bio for the leadership role that Sierra Leone played as Chair of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (PSC) in the month of June 2019.

Accordingly, the two Heads of State expressed their support to regional efforts aimed at assisting the Sudanese stakeholders to resume their negotiations, to reach an agreement on a national transitional initiative paving the way for a lasting peace. They commended the efforts of His Excellency, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and His Excellency, Abdel Fatah El Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Chair of the African Union, towards these initiatives. To that end, the two Heads of State welcomed the spirit of compromise shown by the Transitional Military Council and the Forces of Freedom and Change and other Sudanese stakeholders, which agreed to resume a dialogue aimed at agreeing on residual issues leading to the formation of a Transitional Government.

On Somalia, the two Heads of State called upon the international community to support the building of the country’s institutions, in particular the security sector, to enable the Government to effectively deal with the challenges posed by terrorist groups and stabilize the country. They called upon the international community to continue support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) with adequate resources and capabilities.

On continental trade and the economy, the two Heads of State welcomed the official launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, and the first Mid-Year Coordination Summit between the Bureau of the AU Assembly and Regional Economic Communities, scheduled for July 7th in Niamey, Niger. They underscored that both events were significant milestones in Africa’s path to effective socio-economic integration.

President Maada Bio and his delegation concluded their visit by touring Kigali’s Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) which aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness as a commercial and logistics hub, through the promotion of exports/re-exports oriented industrial, manufacturing, and services activities.

At the end of his Visit, President Maada Bio thanked President Kagame and the people of Rwanda for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to him and his delegation during their stay in Kigali. President Kagame expressed gratitude for President Bio’s participation in the 25th Anniversary of the Liberation Struggle.

His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio extended an invitation to His Excellency, President Paul Kagame, to pay a return Official Visit to Sierra Leone. The invitation was gladly accepted and dates will be confirmed through diplomatic channels.

End.