URUGWIRO VILLAGE - President Paul Kagame yesterday held talks with a delegation of members of Legislative Leadership Institute Academy of Foreign Affairs from the United States of America, who are in the country to learn from Rwanda’s reconstruction efforts in different sectors.
The group, which comprises of four Senators from different US, is also visiting as part of the Masters of International Relations program the institute offers.

"We really wanted to discuss with the President the great progress the country has registered since the events of 1994. We were talking about economic growth and how the country has dealt with the justice system,” California senator, Roderick Wright told reporters shortly after the meeting.

The team led by the institute’s President, Amy Polasky will during their stay, hold meetings with a number of Senators and Members of Parliament as well as attend the national dialogue (Umushikirano) on Friday.

The Masters of International Relations program which two Rwandan lawmakers, Senator Aloisea Inyumba and MP Francis Kaboneka are part of, is designed to give emerging world leaders a global network of colleagues.

It also seeks to enhance the leaders’ understanding of issues critical to policymaking and hands on experience in diplomacy.  Senator John Pippy from Pennsylvania said that their study tour aims at engaging in dialogue with countries under the Masters program.    "I believe that the more you know, the more you understand and the better you do as governments. It’s all about better understanding and bringing people together,” Pippy said.

"Understanding doesn’t come from books, it’s about dialogue and I’m looking forward to learning from my Rwandan colleagues,” he added.

The two year Masters program includes compulsory study-abroad experiences with programs hosted in Rwanda, Ireland, USA, Switzerland, and the Middle East. 

The program is designed for policymakers, appointed officials and military officers wishing to further their foreign policy expertise and expand their network of global contacts at key points in their public service. 

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