A Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) meeting convened between Rwanda and Mali in Kigali on Monday, May 27, focused on discussing avenues for trade and cooperation. Chaired by Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vincent Biruta, and his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop, the meeting aimed to boost bilateral ties. Nineteen agreements in various sectors including defense, security, justice, health, mineral resources, oil and gas, agriculture, fisheries, environment, and climate change, were inked. Additionally, agreements were reached on matters such as citizenship, culture, tourism, higher education, transport, national reconciliation, and the free movement of people and goods. The meeting marked a development following the agreement made during a sideline meeting of the UN General Assembly in September 2023 in New York regarding the establishment of the Grand Mixed Commission of Cooperation. Since the opening of Mali's embassy in Rwanda in 2017, this marked the first substantial commission or agreement between the two nations. ALSO READ: To end conflicts in Africa, root causes must be addressed, says Biruta According to Biruta, Rwanda and Mali share many common goals in terms of economic progress, increased cooperation, and continental solidarity, and both countries are united by a shared vision of inclusive, sustainable, and collaborative development based on mutual respect and trade. “We also have other draft agreements that we need to finalize, including an agreement on non-taxation, an agreement to prevent tax evasion, a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the implementation of the agreement on the African continental free trade area and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of sports,” Biruta added. ALSO READ: How can Africa claim its place on global stage? In his statement, Diop emphasized the importance of establishing solidarity among both countries. “We are all in phases of mutual learning and, as Africans, we have to understand that what binds us together is extremely more important than what binds us to any other partners outside our continent,” Diop stated.
