President Kagame in Barbados for one-day visit
Saturday, April 16, 2022

President Paul Kagame has, this Saturday morning, arrived in Barbados for a one-day state visit.

This is the second Carribean country he is visiting in a matter of days, having been in Jamaica for a three-day visit earlier in the week.

"President Kagame has arrived in the Barbados where he was received at the Grantley Adams International Airport by the Most Honorable Jerome Xavier Walcott, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados for an Official Visit," read a post shared via the official Twitter handle of the President's office, today in the morning.

During his visit, Kagame will meet with Sandra Mason, the President of Barbados, in addition to holding bilateral talks with the country's Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley.

He is also scheduled to participate in a press conference, plant a tree in the National Botanical Garden and watch a tennis match, before he leaves the island.

Earlier on during his visit to Jamaica, Kagame rooted for greater ties between African and Carribean countries, saying they have a lot in common.

"The Caribbean and Africa have a lot in common, beginning with people. There is that deep connection that the geographical distance can’t eliminate. So the first thing we have to do is create that environment and possibility for people to travel," he said.

"We have to deal with visa issues and make sure we create waivers so that we really encourage this connection knowing that we have interest in one another, we can benefit one another," he added.

Both Jamaica and Barbados are members of the Commonwealth, whose heads of state are set to meet in Kigali in June for the Commomwealth Heads of Government Meeting.