Rwanda: President Kagame Visits Zambia

By Edwin Ashimwe

President Paul Kagame has arrived in Livingstone, Zambia for a two-day state visit.

Kagame was upon arrival received by host President Hakainde Hichilema at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport.

The two Heads of State are expected to hold a tête-à-tête followed by a bilateral meeting alongside respective delegations.

Following the bilateral talks, representatives from both delegations will sign seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoU).

The agreements, according to the office of the President, include MoU on Mutual Administrative Assistance between Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), another on Cooperation on immigration Matters and also in the field of Health.

Also to be signed is an MoU on Investment Promotion between Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB); on cooperation in the field of Agriculture; on cooperation in the field of Fisheries and Livestock Development; and on Trade and Investment Cooperation.

The two Heads of State alongside Zambia's First Lady Mutinta Hakainde will also have a tour of Victoria Falls, a waterfall on the Zambezi River in Southern Africa that provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals, before hosting a state banquet in honour of Kagame.

On his last day of the visit, Kagame together with host President Hakainde and First Lady Mutinta Hakainde will visit Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to one half of the Mosi-oa-Tunya - 'The Smoke Which Thunders' - known worldwide as Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.

They are also expected to conduct a guided tour of the Kazungula Bridge, a road and rail bridge over the Zambezi River between Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

To conclude his visit, Kagame's last stop will be to the Kazungula One Stop Border Post.

Rwanda and Zambia boast of cordial bilateral relations and have occasionally engaged in high level consultations on issues of strategic importance to both, including on the UN and the African Union.

Growth of bilateral ties in leaps and bounds is further evidenced by an established Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation cutting across many sectors.

This article originally appeared on The New Times

Photo: The New Times