President Paul Kagame and his counterpart from the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou N’Guesso have observed that Africa needs to adopt a collaborative approach to overcome the various challenges the continent faces, including the effects of financial crises.

The Heads of State made the remarks during a state banquet held in honour of N’Guesso and his entourage, Tuesday evening.

President Kagame said he believes in a vision of a politically strong and independent, peaceful, and secure Africa in which all citizens live in dignity and enjoy prosperity.

"The current international economic crisis and other profound changes around the world have confirmed what we have always known; that our increasingly inter-dependent world means, what happens in one part will invariably impact another,” Kagame said.

"It is therefore imperative that we adopt a collaborative approach, especially intra-African cooperation, in order to achieve sustainable development.”

Kagame emphasized that an African voice is stronger, and the continent’s interests are better articulated when countries and leaders, with a shared worldview, work together.

Regarding the relations between Rwanda and the Republic of Congo, President Kagame observed that the results of this kind of partnership are already evident in the bilateral relations and existing areas of cooperation the two countries seek to reinforce.

On his part, President N’Guesso noted that the friendship between the two countries is an expression of a profound will to bring their peoples together and reaffirmed that his visit to Rwanda is a shared noble impulse.

"It is indeed a pleasure that, a few months after our meeting in Brazzaville, an air link between the capitals was realized,” said N’Guesso, referring to Rwandair’s three times-a-week flight to Brazzaville.

President Kagame visited the Republic of Congo in November last year.

N’Guesso emphasized the need to improve cooperation in the areas peace, security and stability as a way of realizing sustainable development.

The Congo Head of State pointed out that there are instruments that have enabled the two countries to turn the dark page of history and pave the way for prosperity for the peoples of the two States.

"The regular consultations between the security services of the Great Lakes countries and cooperation that some member states are undertaking to fight negative forces, the Lord’s Resistance Army in particular, are a clear indication of our determination to establish sustainable peace in our countries,” N’Guesso said.

The LRA is an outfit of Ugandan insurgents that has caused insecurity, mainly in northern Uganda, for over the past two decades. 

He listed a number of African countries undergoing political crises noting that it’s an indication of inability to manage conflicts and highlighted the emphasis on unity as a solution to a sovereign Africa.

"Africa has something to offer to the rest of the world but we have to avoid becoming a ground of experiment,” N’Guesso said.

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