Rwanda and the São Tomé and Príncipe have signed five bilateral agreements during an official visit to Kigali by the country’s minister for foreign affairs and communities, Urbino Botelho.

The minister’s three-day visit, which ended on Saturday, follows a visit by Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo to São Tomé and Príncipe earlier this year.

The two countries signed bilateral agreements in the fields of agriculture and the development of animal resources, cooperation in the field of tourism, trade agreement; agreement on cooperation in the field of air transport and a visa waiver pact.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides pledged to implement the agreements as well as promote South-South Cooperation and strengthening African solidarity.

Botelho was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, the minister for infrastructure, natural resources and environment, among others.

While in the country, the delegation paid a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi, where they paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The delegation also visited the Kigali Special Economic Zone and the Rwanda Development Board, where they got insights on progress made by Rwanda to improve the business climate.

Sao Tome and Príncipe joins a long list of nations that Rwanda has formed alliances with in the recent past to increase opportunities for citizens and enterprises as well as promote the south to south cooperation.

Other countries include Djibouti, Mozambique, Morocco, Benin and Gabon, among others.

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