President Paul Kagame has praised Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, singling out his leadership in energy security, humanitarian actions and fight against corruption.
His Highness Tamim bin Hamad is a special guest at the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, where President Kagame is due to assume the role of the chair of the 54-nation bloc.
"I could not have thought of a better person to invite, as a very special guest of the Commonwealth, tonight,” Kagame said late Thursday, during a State Banquet he and First Lady Jeannette Kagame hosted in honour of the visiting Heads of Government.
The Qatari leader is a friend and a partner to so many of us, Kagame said. "His country has deep historical ties to the Commonwealth.”
"Qatar, under his leadership, is at the forefront of finding solutions to some of the most urgent challenges of the day, from energy security, to humanitarian response in the Middle East, and the global fight against corruption,” Kagame said.
Rwanda and Qatar maintain strong bilateral ties in different sectors.
"I want to thank all the special guests who have travelled here to enrich our deliberations. Your presence and participation demonstrate that the Commonwealth has a meaningful role to play in shaping the global agenda,” the Rwandan president said.
The President called for closer cooperation among the Commonwealth countries, citing lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. "We have lived through a lot since 2020, in each of our countries, our regions and the Commonwealth as a whole. The pandemic was a terrible moment in history which showed us yet again, the value of cooperation and community. We can’t prosper without working together.”
"I therefore thank each of you for making the trip here. It is a huge honour to us. Thank you for staying the course with us, despite all the ups and downs during the pandemic,” Kagame said on the eve of the opening of CHOGM.
He added, "Above all, I thank you for the trust you have placed in Rwanda, to serve as host of the Commonwealth family of nations and as incoming Chair-in-Office.”
The 26th CHOGM was officially opened on Friday by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the British throne, who represented the Queen.