President Rajoelina was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Vincent Biruta.
Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, arrived in Rwanda on Sunday for a three-day working visit as the two countries aim to strengthen bilateral ties.
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, President Rajoelina was welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta. The Madagascan leader was accompanied by senior officials, legislators and members of the private sector, for the visit running up until August 8.
President Rajoelina is visiting on the invitation of President Paul Kagame and the two leaders are expected to meet on Monday for a tête-à-tête and other bilateral discussions, which will lead to the signing of a number of biltaral agreements in a range of areas including trade and socioeconomic development.
On Monday, the Madagascan Head of State is expected to visit Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay his respects to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
According to a cabinet brief on the visit by President Rajoelina’s government, he aims, through the visit, to benefit from Rwanda’s experience in rebuilding the country from the ruins of the genocide and also draw lessons from the country’s economic growth and development in recent times.
President Rajoelina said there is a lot Madagascar can learn from Rwanda’s development model.
President Kagame and First Lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame visited Madagascar in June 2019, where the Head of State was the guest of honour of the country in 2019 during a national commemoration of the independence in June that year.
At the time, President Kagame said the visit was an opportunity to deepen the bilateral relationship between Rwanda and Madagascar. He said that the two countries sought to strengthen trade and investment ties in the context of COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while at the same time leveraging collaboration in the areas of technology, agriculture, and security, among others.
He used to opportunity to invite President Rajoelina to pay a visit to us in Rwanda in a bid strengthen the ties between our two countries further.
