This follows a meeting between Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe, Rwanda's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Cooperation, and his Japanese counterpart, Tsuji Kiyoto, on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
Kabarebe is in Japan to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial Meeting, ahead of TICAD 9, which will be held in Yokohama from August 20 to 22, 2025. TICAD was launched in 1993 to promote Africa's development, peace and security, through the strengthening of relations in multilateral cooperation and partnership.
During the meeting, State Minister Tsuji congratulated President Paul Kagame on his re-election and paid tribute to Rwanda's efforts toward national reconciliation, reconstruction, and stability over the 30 years since the Genocide against the Tutsi.
In turn, Kabarebe expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance and his hope to further strengthen the already strong bilateral relations between the two countries.
State Minister Tsuji, while referring to his recent visit to Rwanda in May this year, welcomed the momentum of Japanese companies developing new business in Rwanda. The two parties agreed to work together to increase investment from Japan to Rwanda by improving the business environment for Japanese companies.
'They confirmed the further development of Japan-Rwanda relations towards TICAD 9 next year,' Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 'They also exchanged views regarding cooperation in the international arena, including regional situations.'
Japan's development cooperation in Rwanda currently includes loans, grants, and technical assistance, with a focus on enhancing infrastructure, agricultural development and education among others.
In March, the Government of Rwanda and Japan signed a long-term financing agreement worth 14 billion Japanese Yen (approximately Rwf118 billion to support transformation of the education sector.
Rwanda said the agreement in form of a concessional loan marked a pivotal step towards driving digital transformation within education, enhancing operational efficiency across primary and secondary levels, and fostering an enriched learning environment within technical colleges. The overarching objective is to ensure equitable access to quality education for all.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-and-japan-pledge-to-boost-economic-ties-ahead-of-ticad-9
