Following the visit of the Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army of Algeria (ANPA), General Saïd Chanegriha, Rwanda and Algeria have resolved to strengthen the existing defence cooperation to deal with different security issues in Africa.

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He arrived in Rwanda for an official visit on Monday, February 19, and during his stay, Chanegriha visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Campaign Against Genocide Museum at Parliament, and held bilateral talks with the Minister of Defence, Juvénal Marizamunda, and Gen Mubarakh Muganga, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Chief of Defence Staff.

Speaking to the media, Chanegriha said he was happy about visiting a brotherly country whose long-standing friendship dates back to Algeria’s independence in 1962.

"Through this visit, we will continue to develop the friendship further. We talked about different points which will allow us to further strengthen our cooperation in the face of the challenges that await us, and the geopolitical and geostrategic situations with which we particularly confront.”

In September 2022, former Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Jean Bosco Kazura, had a three-day official visit to Algeria where he, among others, held bilateral talks with his counterpart, Chanegriha, in the context of defence cooperation between the RDF and ANPA.

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In January 2024, Algerian Ambassador to Rwanda, Mohamed Mellah, hinted at the prospect of signing a couple of agreements between the two countries, including visa waiver programmes and trade and military cooperation agreements.