Rwanda, Kenya strengthen ties

URUGWIRO VILLAGE - President Paul Kagame yesterday held discussions at Urugwiro Village with the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moses Wentagula. Speaking to the press shortly after the meeting, Wetangula, said that the purpose of his visit was to sign a bilateral agreement to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries and at the same time discuss regional issues. Rwanda and Kenya held a Joint Review Commission earlier this year but the two foreign affairs ministers were not available to ratify the minutes and the outcomes of the meeting. “I am here to underpin, emphasise and state the warmth of relations and the excellent commercial activities between our two countries. I also passed on a message from my President to President Kagame, just to emphasise the importance of being good friends as we are, also wish you peaceful elections,” Wetangula said. The Kenyan top diplomat who was flanked by his Rwandan counterpart, Louise Mushikiwabo added that he also delivered a message wishing Rwandans peace, continued prosperity as well as full integration in the regional bloc.The talks also centred on issues of the East African Community (EAC) as well as peace and security in the region. “We discussed the regional integration process, especially how our countries can benefit from the win-win nature of integration,” Wentagula said. He also discussed with President Kagame the role Rwanda can play in the construction of a modern standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Kampala which would eases in the transportation of goods. Also on the agenda was the connection to the undersea fibre optic cable and the proposed oil pipeline project expected to reduce oil transportation costs from Mombasa Port. The Kenyan Minister strongly denied allegations that the most wanted Genocide fugitive, Felicien Kabuga, was in Kenya, saying that while he could have been in the country few years ago, they had fully confirmed he left Kenyan soil. Wetangula stressed said that the Kenyan government had done everything in its powers to trace the whereabouts of Kabuga, leading to the conclusion that he left the country for a European destination-most probably Belgium. He added that ever since ICTR and the US Government put pressure on the Kenyan government to produce Kabuga, the government had opened its doors to any independent investigators to come and ascertain their claims, but none of those “shouting on the rooftops” has done so. He said Kenya has helped in the arrest of over 14 Genocide suspects and it would not fail to arrest only one man who has a US$5 million dollars bounty on his head. “Even me I would personally arrest him if I knew where he was,” the Kenyan Minister said jokingly. Ends

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Rwanda, Kenya strengthen ties