President Paul Kagame will today join leaders from the African continent for the 27th France-Africa Summit in Bamako, Mali.

The forum is co-chaired by President of the Republic of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and President of the French Republic François Hollande.

The two day summit which opened yesterday will also be attended by representatives from the United Nations, African Union, European Union, African Development Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the International Organisation of La Francophonie.

Talks at this year’s summit are centered on ‘Partnership, Peace and Emergence’, with leaders expected to explore a range of crucial topics, including peace and security, terrorism, migration, cyber-crime as well as human and drug trafficking among other topics.

The forum is expected to convene about leaders from 30 African states and France. The first day of the meet (yesterday) involved foreign affairs ministers of participating countries with Heads of State joining today.

President Kagame attended the 2010 summit which took place in Nice, at the invitation of the then French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The summit is a high-level platform for exchanges, discussions and commitments between African and French Heads of State on a variety of topics, including politics, the economy and security among others.

The summit is normally organised every two years, alternating between France and different member African capitals.

President Kagame is accompanied by First Lady Jeannette Kagame, who is expected to speak at the First Ladies session on Reproductive Health for Teenagers and Young People in Bamako - Mali, today.

Under the theme: "Positive Traditional and Cultural Practices Serving To Promote Reproductive Health", the session will be held on the margins of the summit.

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