Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jablonski, and Dr. Biruta address the media. Photos/OGS
Rwanda and Poland have vowed to strengthen bilateral relations with the European nation set to open its embassy in Kigali soon, as the two countries look to improve economic ties.
The Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pawel Jablonski, is in Rwanda for a three-day working visit with a delegation of senior officials and members of the private sector on a mission to explore opportunities.
Addressing the media after holding talks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta and Jablonski said that the visit reaffirms both countries’ commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Rwanda and Poland already cooperate in education and trade. Last year, Rwanda opened an embassy in Warsaw while during the visit, Deputy Minister Jablonski said Poland will open its mission in Kigali ‘very soon’.
Ministers from Poland and Rwanda.
“I welcome Minister Pawel Jablonski to Rwanda. This high-level visit from a Polish delegation is a strong signal of our countries’ growing bilateral relations,”
“Rwanda looks forward to working closely with Poland to accelerate our cooperation in strategic areas of common interest,” said Minister Biruta.
During this visit, three additional agreements in the fields of investments, higher education, and defence will be signed.
Minister Jablonski said that Poland and Rwanda share a common history as countries of countries that have previously dealt with foreign interference and dominance and overcame it.
“Our expectations from this visit have already been exceeded. We have held talks on many areas of cooperation which are developing fast. The opening of the Polish embassy in Kigali will add more impetus to this process,” Jablonski said.
Delegation from Rwanda and Poland.
“From the discussions we had today, it is a historical moment in the relations of our countries. It is not an exaggeration, it is a historical moment for our Rwanda Polish relations,”
“Just last year Rwanda opened her embassy in Warsaw and I am happy to announce that Poland just also signed a decision to open an embassy here in Kigali, which we are hopeful will be operational this coming year.
Minister Jablonski is accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Finance and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology, other government officials, representatives of academia and the private sector.
The Polish delegation will meet with the Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente as well as officials from the ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, Health, Defence, ICT and Innovation, and Infrastructure, as well as the Rwanda Development Board and the University of Rwanda.
The Rwanda-Poland Business Forum will also be launched and the Polish delegation will visit Rwandan companies and meet with representatives of the private sector.
Rwanda and Poland already cooperate in education and trade. Last year, Rwanda opened an embassy in Warsaw.
The Government of Poland supports the “School of Blind Children” in Kibeho,Nyaruguru District,and an estimated 1,800 Rwandan students have been enrolled in Polish universities to date. Polish investments in Rwanda include LuNa Smelter, a state-of-the-art tin processing plant.
