KIGALI - The fifth session of the Rwanda-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) will open in the Zambian Capital today.

Foreign Affairs Minister and Government spokesperson, Louise Mushikiwabo, could not be reached on phone, but an official in the ministry confirmed yesterday that the Permanent Secretary, Amb. Eugene Munyakayanza, had travelled to Lusaka at the head of a Rwandan delegation for the two-day session.

As revealed in the Lusaka Times, a related statement issued by Zambian Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Lucy Mungomba, says the JPC is expected to review co-operation in various areas of trade and industry, communications and transport, agriculture, mining and culture as well as refugees and immigration.

The two countries have agreed to work together in several areas, including identifying possible genocide suspects who may be living in Zambia as refugees so that they can be repatriated to Rwanda to stand trial for their role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In January, they agreed to revive the JPC, which was signed in 1982, to serve as a platform for regular consultations and cooperation in various sectors.

Zambia was instrumental in lobbying the international community to have Rwanda admitted to the Commonwealth. The government has often paid tribute to Zambia for its support at bilateral and regional levels.

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