RPF secretary-general visits China, seeks improved ties

The Secretary-General of the RPF Inkotanyi, Francois Ngarambe, on Tuesday returned from a week-long working visit to China on the invitation of his counterpart in the Communist Party of China. The visit, according to RPF commissioner Wellars Gasamagera, who was part of the delegation, was premised on the special relations the RPF shares with CPC, the ruling party of China, and it was an opportunity to learn how things are done elsewhere. The RPF Secretary General in a group photo with participants at the Buddhist cultural forum which he co-chaired. Speaking to The New Times, yesterday, Gasamagera, the RPF Commissioner for Political Mass Mobilisation, said they met and held discussions with different leaders within the Chinese ruling party and local government officials. He said they also participated in an ecological conference and exhibitions in different municipalities in the province of Guinzhou, where Ngarambe co-chaired one dubbed, “Mount Fanjing Ecological Civilisation and Buddhist Culture Forum,” held in the municipality of Tongren. “At this particular forum, the Secretary General spoke of the ecological similarities between this region and Rwanda and how they can work together to make our peoples better. This region is mountainous and characterised by thick, impenetrable forests, a topography that is similar to many parts of Rwanda,” he said. According to Gasamagera, Guinzhou Province, which is over 60-times the size of Rwanda, is covered 40 per cent by forests. Ngarambe with the mayor of Tongren. Rwanda has a target to have 30 per cent of its surface area covered in forests by 2020. “There are a lot of lessons here specifically in this area, especially their well implemented villagisation policy that has not only allowed for this big forest coverage but also helped bring people closer to services development,” said Gasamagera, who is also the director-general of Rwanda Management Institute. Meanwhile, during the meeting with senior leaders of CPC, the officials from both parties agreed to continue working together with the Chinese committing to receive RPF cadres for training. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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RPF secretary-general visits China, seeks improved ties