President Kagame received Qatar’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and his delegation. Photos/Urugwiro Village.
President Paul Kagame on Friday held talks with Foreign Affairs Ministers from Qatar and France, with whom he discussed key issues, including regional security.
The Head of State met with Qatar’s Minister of State in the Ministry , for discussions on bilateral relations and regional developments, particularly the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
President Kagame also received French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot and his delegation, with whom he discussed strong bilateral ties between Rwanda and France, and explored ways to promote peace in the region, according to Urugwiro Village.
The visits are part of efforts to prevent escalation of regional tensions following the capture of the eastern Congolese city of Goma by M23 rebels, who now say they fully control the city and threaten to advance further, if the government in Kinshasa does not want to engage in dialogue to resolve their grievances.
Both France and Qatar have been trying to play a role in resolving the longstanding conflict, which President Kagame says can only be addressed through a political solution, with the government of Felix Antoine Tshisekedi holding talks with the M23 group.
President Kagame also received French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot with whom he discussed the situation in the Great Lakes Region.
French media reports that Minister Noel Barrot carried a message from President Emmanuel Macron and before traveling to Kigali, he was in Kinshasa where he met with President Tshisekedi, with the aim of initiating a diplomatic solution to the escalating conflict.
France is among the western countries involved in the DRC in one way or another, given the historical links in the Great Lakes Region.
Similarly, Qatar’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi was in Kigali with a message from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, who also previously tried to play a mediator role, but Tshisekedi refused to cooperate.
Qatar is looking to intervene to reduce tensions in the Great Lakes region, with the official reiterating Qatar’s full support for all regional and international efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the region.
