Rwanda and Egypt have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in combating crime.

Rwanda’s Prosecutor General Jean Bosco Mutangana signed the deal alongside his Egyptian counterpart, Nabeel Ahmed Sadek, on Thursday in Cairo.

It was signed on the sidelines of the on-going African Prosecutors Association (APA) executive and strategic committee meetings, in which the National Public Prosecution Authority of Rwanda holds the position of Vice President.

Mutangana told The New Times that the MoU is the beginning of cooperation in criminal matters between the two institutions.

"The MoU commits us to work together more closely towards pure common goal of fighting and prosecuting crime in all its forms,” Mutangana said.

Speaking at the meeting, Mutangana called upon African prosecutors to cooperate more in extraditing or bringing to justice hundreds of Rwandan Genocide suspects still at large so as to close the impunity gap.

Rwanda is preparing for the 23rd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, which begins on April 7.

Among the key elements of the deal is promoting cooperation in the fight against transnational crimes.

This includes but not limited to organised crime, terrorism, corruption, human trafficking, drugs, narcotics, psychotropic substances, economic crimes, and illicit trafficking of cultural properties.

"It also covers exchange of information on crime and criminal trends. Exchange expert visits in order to enhance knowledge, experience and capacity building, laying down training strategies etc,” said Mutangana.

Over 482 international arrest warrants have been issued by National Public Prosecution Authority of Rwanda to African countries over a period of 10 years and Mutangana requested the African Prosecutors Association support in apprehending these suspects.

He said there are no specific arrest warrants issued for Rwandan fugitives in Egypt but there are many others in different African countries.

The Rwandan Prosecutor thanked the Executive Committee for their continued work to promote high standards and principles in the administration of criminal justice in support of the rule of law in Africa.

He pledged Rwanda’s support and commitment to the APA values and principles and cooperation with other countries in fighting crime through mutual, legal assistance and cooperation in criminal matters.

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