New French Envoy named

KIGALI - Following renewal of diplomatic relations between Rwanda and France and the subsequent appointment of a French envoy to Kigali, The New Times has learnt that Paris’ new Ambassador to Kigali is seasoned French diplomat Laurent Contini. Contini who is former Ambassador of France to Zimbabwe is slated to take up his new diplomatic posting any time soon in Kigali, according to sources. Contini has served for less than two years as French Envoy to Zimbabwe before his transfer to Kigali. It is reported that Laurent Contini is familiar with the region after serving as a political adviser to Aldo Ajello, the Special Representative of the European Union in the Great Lakes between 2001 and 2005. According to media reports, new French Ambassador left his Harare base on Thursday in preparation for the new posting. However, the appointment of the new envoy to Kigali could not be confirmed by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as none could be reached on phone by press time. A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame recently appointed Jacques Kabare as Rwanda’s new envoy to France. He was later to be approved by the Upper Chamber of Parliament. Prior to his appointment, Kabare was an adviser to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Donald Kaberuka, and had served at one time as a member of the National Constitutional Commission. Ends