KIGALI - The United Kingdom’s Minister for International Development, Stephen O’Brien, yesterday held discussions with President Paul Kagame on the nation’s road to achieving Vision 2020.

In an interview shortly after the meeting, O’Brien expressed his appreciation of the partnership between the two governments.

"I am very pleased to see the strength of our relations and the partnership between Her Majesty’s government and the government of Rwanda, and particularly the ones we have been able to build through our international programmes, some of which I got an opportunity to see for myself,” he said

O’Brien said that he was impressed by the difference DFID programmes are making in Rwanda and also the government’s commitment to make the programs work.

He pointed out that his discussions with the President focused mainly on the programs that his government funds as well as how both countries can work towards a better future.

"We were looking forward to the future, to be able to deliver on the 2020 vision, but also the ability of development to give people a chance to help themselves, to grow as future participants of Rwanda’s development,” he said

"We share equally the same ambition with President Kagame for the Rwandan people, and we are looking forward to an exciting future and we hope very optimistically to build on the strength of these programmes and the partnerships we already have,” he said.

Upon arrival on Tuesday, O’Brien paid a visit to the Land Tenure Regularisation Programme in Kinyinya Sector, Nyarugenge District to see the progress made and challenges remaining in the areas of land tenure, maternal health and social protection as a means towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

O’Brien was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development in May this year.

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