URUGWIRO VILLAGE - A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on Wednesday approved Laurent Contini, as France’s new Ambassador to Rwanda. Contini, was formery french Ambassador to Zimbabwe. The approval comes barely a month and a half after both countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations that were severed three years ago. The new envoy is quite familiar with the region having served as an advisor to Aldo Ajello, former Special Representative of the European Union in the Great Lakes Region. He is expected to takeover his new posting ahead of a visit by French President Nicholas Sarkozy slated for next month. As a sign of renewed relations, Rwanda also appointed Jacques Kabare as its new envoy to France. Prior to his appointment, Kabare was an adviser to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Donald Kaberuka, and also served as a member of the National Constitutional Commission In a related development, the Cabinet meeting sitting at Urugwrio Village also approved Mohamed Messaoud as Tunisia’s Ambassador to Rwanda with residence in Kinshasa while Zainol Rahim Bin Zainuddin was approved Malaysia envoy to Rwanda with residence in Nairobi. Cabinet also approved Olivier Kayumba to take up the post of Second Counsellor in Rwanda’s Embassy in Paris while Joseph Uwamungu will replace him in Brussels. Ends
