Members of diplomatic missions working in Rwanda yesterday joined residents in Southern Province’s Kamonyi District in community to plant trees during the monthly Umuganda.

The diplomats’ participation wasorganised by the diplomatic corps in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The Chinese ambassador to Rwanda, Rao Hongwei, and South Africa’s high commissioner to Rwanda, George N. Twala, during Umuganda. / Sam Ngendahimana

Members of diplomatic corps were working together with local residents. / Sam Ngendahimana

Kamonyi residents in Gacurabwenge Sector. / Sam Ngendahimana

Diplomatic corps' Umuganda took place in Kamonyi District. /  Sam Ngendahimana

The diplomats joined residents in Kamonyi District’s Kigembe cell in a village called Buhoro of Gacurabwenge sector.

They threw their weight behind a project to plant 4,000 tree seedlings on farm terraces on 10 hectares of fields in the area.

At the end of Umuganda, the South African High Commissioner to Rwanda who also doubles as dean of diplomats, George Twala, emphasised that their initiative to join residents in the activity was a gesture of cooperation.

Frederique de Man, Dutch Ambassador to Rwanda, plants a tree during Umuganda yesterday in Kamonyi District. Members of the diplomatic corps took part in the exercise. Sam Ngendahimana.

"Life is about working together. We may have planted one tree but we are working together,” he said.

The community work is held in communities across the country every last Saturday of the month and diplomatic missions in Rwanda usually join the activities.

Libya’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Mohammed S. Alhaaj-Meelad, who was among the diplomats taking part in the activity in Kamonyi, thanked President Paul Kagame for giving a chance to diplomats to take part in the activity to plant trees alongside ordinary citizens.

"I am very happy to enjoy this day to plant trees because I understand the importance. After 40 years I know that I will be happy to see the trees I planted here grown up like when I see trees that I planted when I was in secondary school back in Libya,” he said in an interview.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Richard Sezibera and the Dutch Ambassador to Rwanda, Frédérique de Man, as they join Kamonyi residents during Umuganda. / Sam Ngendahimana

UNFPA Rwanda country representative Mark Schreiner during the diplomatic corps community work. / Sam Ngendahimana

World Bank Country Manager Yasser El-Gammal in action during Umuganda. / Sam Ngendahimana

Karen Chalyan, the Russian Ambassador to Rwanda, said that "such an activity brings diplomats closer to the people of Rwanda and helps them to deepen their understanding of the country and its social and economic realities”.

"The understanding of the country is a great boost for cooperation,” he said.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe and Youssef Imani, the Moroccan Ambassador to Rwanda plant a tree during Umuganda yesterday. Sam Ngendahimana.

The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Rwanda, Frederique de Man, agrees that joining in the communal activity remains one of the best ways to learn more about the country.

"This is very nice; it makes me feel happy. Next time I would like to spend more time doing this. We are diplomats here and it’s a good way to get to know the country better,” she told The New Times at the end of Umuganda in Kamonyi.

State Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Russia’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Karen Chalyan plant a tree. / Sam Ngendahimana

The Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Rao Hongwei with Kamonyi residents during Umuganda. / Sam Ngendahimana

The diplomats’ support also excited local residents in the area, with some of them saying that the activity helped them to consider their land as more precious than they previously thought.

"We are very happy for the visitors as it even brought out more people to join Umuganda. These terraces and trees planted here will give value to this land which many of us had abandoned as not productive,” said AlphonsineRufungura, a resident of Kigembe cell.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Richard Sezibera, urged Kamonyiresidents to always value their country and culture, explaining that they have both a good country and a productive land that they need to put to good use.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw