The Permanent Secretary of the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), Matthew Rycroft, is in Rwanda for a three-day visit.

The visit is expected to underline the depth of the modern UK-Rwanda partnership, and comes ahead of the UK-Africa Investment Summit slated next year in London and the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit in Kigali the same year. 

As part of his visit, on Wednesday, Rycroft visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial—home to remains of over 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. 

"I have been incredibly moved by the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Due to the many responsibilities I had previously, I know actions necessary for the prevention of this tragedy, but nothing can prepare you for the emotional strength of the way the 1994 Genocide is illustrated here,” he told the media after visiting the memorial. 

"I’m proud that UK through DFID is helping to improve digitisation, which helps in keeping memory; therefore, reconciliation. And we’ll continue to support Rwanda rebuild after the 1994 tragedy.”

The official is also expected to visit a tea programme in Nyaruguru District, Southern Province, which is a result of partnership between Uniliver, Luxmi, Wood Foundation, Gatsby Charitable Foundation and DFID.

Rycroft noted that, while in Rwanda, he will be exploring many projects that DFID is carrying out in the country, and look at how to update them as the country is now facing different challenges than those faced in 1998 when DFID started working with Rwanda.

DFID supports Rwanda in such areas as economic growth, social protection, agriculture and education.

Some of the outcomes of Rwanda-DFID partnership in the education sector include the 3.8 million textbooks that were provided to primary school children across the country.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com