The agreements, formalised during a visit by Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo, reflect a shared commitment to tackling terrorism and fostering economic growth.
The first agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mozambique's Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEX), was signed by RDB Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika and Mozambique's High Commissioner to Rwanda, Amade Miquidade.
The MoU aims to expand trade and investment in sectors like agriculture, tourism, and industry, building on prior frameworks to drive economic collaboration.
A second pact, a renewed Status of the Forces Agreement on the Support to Fight Terrorism in Mozambique, was signed by Rwanda's Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, and Mozambique's Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Artur Chume.
The agreement extends Rwanda's military support in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, where Rwandan forces have been deployed since 2021 to combat Islamist insurgents.
'Thanks to this cooperation, we can see peace returning to the region,' President Chapo said, acknowledging Rwanda's role in stabilising Cabo Delgado despite ongoing sporadic attacks.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Paul Kagame emphasised the need for African-led solutions to regional challenges, stating, 'Outsourcing the responsibility to external actors will not build lasting peace nor development.'
He highlighted the agreements as a step toward operationalising existing frameworks, noting that Rwanda and Mozambique share 'very strong bilateral ties' and a bond as 'brothers and sisters.'
President Chapo, making his first visit to Rwanda as Mozambique's leader, praised the warm welcome in Kigali and the 'excellent bilateral conversations' that underscored mutual solidarity.
He invited President Kagame to visit Mozambique and thanked Rwanda for its support in combating terrorism, paying homage to Rwandan forces working alongside Mozambican troops.
Both leaders expressed confidence in the partnership's future. 'We are on the right path to growing an already excellent partnership,' Kagame said.
Chapo echoed this optimism, noting that the agreements would strengthen relations between the two nations and their peoples.
On the second and final day of his visit, Thursday, August 28, President Chapo will meet with Rwandan business leaders interested in exploring investment opportunities in Mozambique. He will also tour the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to study Rwanda's industrial development and identify potential areas for cooperation.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
